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<\/a><\/p>\nJeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street, speaking at the J Street National Conference in 2018. (Michael Brochstein\/SOPA Images\/LightRocket via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Such an attack campaign is an unusual initiative for J Street, which typically endorses candidates but does not target opponents on the basis of an AIPAC endorsement. Until now, according to J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami, the likelier scenario for his organization was finding its endorsed candidates on the defensive against AIPAC\u2019s spending.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a new era for us,\u201d Ben-Ami said in an interview. In 2022, J Street targeted an AIPAC backed candidate \u2014 but only after AIPAC barraged the J Street endorsed candidate with negative spending. <\/p>\n
In a statement, J Street said that this will be the group\u2019s largest super PAC investment in its history, referring to political action committees that can raise unlimited funds but are forbidden from coordinating with campaigns.<\/p>\n
The $3 million will be spent on ads targeting Republican Rep. Mike Collins, who is running for U.S. Senate in Georgia against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is Jewish, and a handful of incumbents: Ohio Rep. Max Miller, who is running for reelection amid allegations of domestic abuse, which he denies; Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden; Pennsylvania Rep. Ryan Mackenzie; and Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks.<\/p>\n
Ben-Ami said J Street targeted those particular candidates in part because they each face competitive races as the Democrats look to take control of the House and Senate and they have ideological distance from J Street. Many of them were also connected to the movement to deny and overturn the 2020 election results, Ben-Ami said.<\/p>\n
J Street\u2019s campaign comes as AIPAC\u2019s brand has become increasingly toxic among voters, and as a growing number of Democratic politicians cross its red line of supporting conditions on U.S. military aid to Israel. J Street\u2019s position, meanwhile, has recently drifted toward supporting a phasing-out of military aid to Israel in 2028. <\/p>\n
AIPAC blasted the campaign in a post on X. \u201cIs this from J Street or Justice Democrats?\u201d AIPAC wrote, referring to the progressive organization that has increasingly aligned with pro-Palestinian advocacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cA dark money super PAC spending millions to defeat pro-Israel candidates and lie about AIPAC,\u201d the group wrote. \u201cNot a word about helping elect pro-Israel candidates further exposes the difference between J Street and actual pro-Israel organizations.\u201d<\/p>\n
AIPAC has been a heavy spender since it launched its super PAC, United Democracy Project, ahead of the 2022 midterms, and is the top outside spender in this election cycle, according to Open Secrets. A number of anti-AIPAC, pro-Palestinian groups have emerged over the past year to counter the pro-Israel lobbying group\u2019s spending. <\/p>\n
Unlike those groups, J Street and AIPAC have some overlap in which candidates they back: Both groups endorsed moderate, pro-Israel Democrats such as Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Dan Goldman. J Street\u2019s super PAC has also previously targeted individual candidates for their AIPAC endorsement, such as Rep. Haley Stevens in 2022, citing AIPAC\u2019s donations from right-wing megadonors.<\/p>\n
An AIPAC spokesperson wrote that it is \u201cdisappointing, but not surprising, that J Street continues to amplify lies about our community.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cAIPAC members are focused on helping elect Democrats and Republicans who will strengthen the U.S.-Israel partnership, while J Street is focused on turning support for the Jewish state into a partisan political football,\u201d said AIPAC\u2019s spokesperson.<\/p>\n
Ben-Ami said this year\u2019s campaign is not about \u201cthe relationship between us and AIPAC,\u201d but is rather about emboldening candidates who may otherwise worry that they will be up against AIPAC\u2019s war chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very conscious that there are many candidates who are afraid of what AIPAC might be able to do politically, and therefore adopt positions and say things about policy because they are afraid, and their fear and intimidation is holding them back,\u201d Ben-Ami said. <\/p>\n
Now, he said, J Street is putting \u201cthe shoe on the other foot.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are going to oppose American democracy and provide carte blanche to this Israeli government, then you need to be afraid,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n