Super Pacs tied to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) have poured millions into a California congressional race to prevent a progressive Democrat from winning the seat vacated by Eric Swalwell.
Aisha Wahab, a state senator endorsed by the California Democratic party, is widely seen as the frontrunner in the special election for the East Bay district. Swalwell resigned earlier this year after multiple allegations of sexual assault.
Primary and runoff
Wahab outpaced her closest rival, Melissa Hernandez, a former Dublin mayor, by over 20 points in both the June primary and the special election to finish Swalwell's term. They will face off in a runoff later this month and again in November.
Super Pacs have dropped more than $5m in recent weeks on pro-Hernandez ads and attack ads against Wahab, according to Politico. This includes $1.2m from United Democracy Project, backed by Aipac, and $2.1m from Bold America Pac, which has received significant funding from the United Democracy Project.
Aipac's expanding influence
Track Aipac, which monitors the group's political funding, reports that Aipac has spent over $4.4m to support Hernandez. Aipac, one of the largest Super Pacs and the most powerful pro-Israel lobby in the US, has doubled its spending to $67.2m, largely in Democratic primaries, according to The New York Times.
The organization also backed moderate Haley Stevens in Michigan's Democratic senate primary, where progressive Abdul El-Sayed ultimately won in a defining contest for the party.
Wahab has addressed the negative ads, urging voters to ask her about her record. She criticized Hernandez for dodging debates and relying on dark money. "We're not going to let this race be bought by outside interests," Wahab said in a video on social media.
