TIMES OF ISRAEL
AIPAC: The Courage to Evolve
David-Seth Kirshner
October 21, 2026

Eight years ago, a group of insurgent political candidates launched a war on the pro-Israel base of the Democratic Party – the party I’ve belonged to my entire adult life. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took down Joe Crowley, a ten-term pro-Israel Democrat. Ayanna Pressley beat Mike Capuano, another 20-year House Democrat. Two years later, Jamaal Bowman ousted Eliot Engel, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. And Cori Bush unseated Lacy Clay, who served for two decades in the Congressional Black Caucus. Four Democratic, pro-Israel leaders unseated by anti-Israel challengers…The organization is expanding. It is introducing new tools that give our community the greatest possible political impact, and sunsetting others that are no longer critical to the mission. Among these changes, AIPAC’s PAC will no longer issue endorsements, make direct contributions to candidates, or be listed publicly as an earmark on individual contributions. READ MORE