In December 2018, Nancy Pelosi pledged unwavering U.S. cooperation with Israel, but by mid-July she voted to slash aid, reflecting a broader shift. Once a bipartisan staple, unconditional support for Israel has collapsed following the Gaza war. California Governor Gavin Newsom noted overwhelming Democratic opposition to accepting AIPAC money.
The group’s political dominance has ended; in Michigan’s Senate race, allies of Republican Mike Rogers asked AIPAC not to advertise for him. AIPAC spent nearly $30 million on Democratic primaries to support Haley Stevens, but her opponent, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, called AIPAC’s stance dangerous and won. A 2026 NBC News poll shows only 32% of Americans view Israel positively, including just 13% of Democrats.
A 2025 Washington Post poll found 61% of American Jews believe Israel committed war crimes in Gaza, and 40% believe it committed genocide. Younger Jews increasingly favor a binational state. AIPAC, founded in 1953 by I.
L. “Si” Kenen after the Qibya massacre, has yet to acknowledge its declining influence or adapt to changing public sentiment.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing