Illinois Governor Denounces AIPAC After Group’s Heavy Primary Spending

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker harshly criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee following the group's massive spending in Tuesday's primary elections. The billionaire Democrat, who previously supported AIPAC over a decade ago, accused the organization of losing its bipartisan focus and backing Trump supporters.

CHICAGO — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker delivered sharp criticism Wednesday against special interest spending that flooded his state before Tuesday’s primary elections, specifically targeting a pro-Israel lobbying organization he once financially backed.

The Jewish Democratic governor, who is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, previously donated to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee but ended that support more than ten years ago. Speaking to The Associated Press Wednesday, Pritzker argued that AIPAC has abandoned its original mission as a nonpartisan organization dedicated to Middle East peace.

“It became an organization that was supporting Donald Trump and people who follow Donald Trump,” Pritzker stated. “AIPAC really is not an organization that I think today I would want any part of.”

Special interest organizations, AIPAC among them, injected approximately $70 million into six competitive U.S. House and Senate races throughout Illinois on Tuesday. The Hyatt Hotel fortune heir characterized this spending as “interference.”

AIPAC representatives did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

The competitive Illinois races — mostly created by incumbent retirements — became testing grounds for major Democratic issues heading into 2026, including Israel policy and cryptocurrency regulation, as super PACs invested millions. Debates over American involvement in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and more recently tensions with Iran, influenced multiple contests.

AIPAC’s participation generated some of the primary season’s most aggressive campaign attacks, though the organization achieved mixed results. In a ten-candidate House primary covering portions of Chicago’s South Side, AIPAC-supported Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday. However, the group’s favored candidate in a predominantly Jewish district north of Chicago fell to Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss.

Though running unopposed in his own primary, Pritzker played an active role in multiple campaigns, investing millions to support Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton’s successful Democratic Senate nomination bid.

This involvement, combined with Pritzker’s potential 2028 presidential campaign, has intensified scrutiny of his international policy positions as Democratic Party divisions over Israel deepen.

While supporting Israel, Pritzker has criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership. He advocates for a two-state solution providing “safe havens” for both Israeli Jews and Palestinian residents of Gaza.

“I do not know why the United States has walked away from that, except, of course, that Donald Trump doesn’t seem to understand how to create Middle East peace and instead wants to go to war, as he has now done in Iran, simply following Netanyahu into that war,” Pritzker explained.

“Are we going to now take military adventures across the world to take out leaders, who we think are bad for their countries?” he continued. “If so, we’re going to be involved in a whole lot of wars going forward.”

Pritzker invested at least $5 million supporting Stratton’s campaign. She defeated U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi for the Democratic Senate nomination despite his fundraising advantages.

External groups contributed over $16 million supporting Stratton’s candidacy while spending $11 million in opposition.

According to Pritzker, Stratton prevailed based on her policy positions rather than his endorsement.

“She stood on her own two feet, and people saw that she’s real and she’s going to be a fighter for us in Washington,” Pritzker remarked.

Some voters offered different perspectives.

Matthew Crain, a 54-year-old state employee from downstate Chatham, said Pritzker’s endorsement convinced him to switch his vote from Krishnamoorthi to Stratton.

“I thought with potential future running for president, I thought having one of his allies in would be a good thing,” Crain explained.

Brooke Morgan, a 39-year-old Springfield museum curator, said she knew Stratton’s political record from her seven years as lieutenant governor.

“The governor is doing a pretty good job in Illinois, and I think that his backing, his support of her certainly gave me some confidence as well,” Morgan noted.

This November, Pritzker will face Republican challenger Darren Bailey, a former state legislator who supports Trump’s platform. The matchup repeats their 2022 contest, which Pritzker won decisively.

During a Tuesday campaign rally, Bailey — who received Trump’s endorsement four years earlier — claimed he doesn’t agree with the president on every issue and promised to welcome Democrats who feel excluded.

A Wednesday campaign advertisement from Pritzker’s team labeled Bailey as “still too extreme for Illinois.”

Regarding his own national political aspirations, Pritzker stated he’s not considering anything beyond his 2026 third-term campaign.

“That is not something I’m thinking,” he said.