AIPAC Super PACs Pour Millions Into CA to Crush Progressive

What’s Happening successful California’s East Bay?

Imagine a crippled of philharmonic chairs, but alternatively of chairs, it’s a spot successful the U.S. Congress. When the euphony stops—meaning a typical resigns—everyone scrambles to capable the spot. That’s precisely what’s happening close present successful California’s 15th Congressional District, a agelong of the East Bay that includes cities similar Dublin, Livermore, and parts of Contra Costa County.

The abbreviated version: A peculiar predetermination is underway to regenerate erstwhile Representative Eric Swalwell. The contention has turned into a high-stakes showdown wherever outside groups person spent implicit $5 million successful conscionable a fewer weeks to power the outcome.

Who Are the Candidates?

Aisha Wahab (The Progressive Frontrunner)

• Current job: California State Senator
• Backing: Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, Attorney General Rob Bonta, Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez, and the progressive radical Our Revolution
• Primary results: Beat her closest rival by over 20 points successful some the June superior and the peculiar predetermination to decorativeness Swalwell’s term
• Personal story: Her begetter was murdered erstwhile she was a child; she grew up successful the foster attraction system
• Legislative focus: Victims’ rights—authored laws making quality trafficking a superior felony and creating a Bill of Rights for intersexual battle survivors

Melissa Hernandez (The Establishment Pick)

• Current job: President of the BART Board of Directors (Bay Area’s bid system)
• Previous role: Mayor of Dublin
• Backing: Supported by monolithic spending from Super PACs tied to AIPAC
• Campaign focus: Lowering lodging and healthcare costs, beardown nationalist safety

What Are Super PACs and AIPAC? (ELI5 Edition)

New to these terms? Don’t worry—here’s the plain-English breakdown:

Super PAC = "Super Political Action Committee"

Think of it similar a giant piggy bank that tin cod unlimited money from individuals, corporations, unions, oregon different groups to walk connected elections.
The catch: They cannot springiness wealth straight to a campaigner oregon coordinate with their campaign. They person to run "independently"—running their ain ads, mailers, and outreach.

AIPAC = American Israel Public Affairs Committee

One of the largest and astir influential pro-Israel lobbying groups successful the U.S.
In caller years, AIPAC created its ain Super PAC called United Democracy Project (UDP) to walk large successful legislature races—especially Democratic primaries.

Independent Expenditures

Fancy ineligible word for: "We’re spending wealth to assistance oregon wounded a candidate, but we’re not talking to their run astir it."
Candidates legally cannot control these ads—even if the ads accidental precisely what the campaigner would want.

The Money Trail: How Much and From Where?

Sources: Politico and Track AIPAC reporting, August 2026

What the Candidates Say

Aisha Wahab’s Take

"You person to inquire yourself, why? AIPAC is intelligibly not funny successful having divers voices astatine the table… They privation a puppet they tin control."

• Calls the advertisement barrage "election interference"
• Says ads misrepresent her nationalist information record
• Reports her run gets daily calls/emails from disgusted constituents
• Points to her endorsements from instrumentality enforcement (including the Alameda County Sheriff) arsenic impervious of her nationalist information credibility

Melissa Hernandez’s Campaign Response

"Melissa does not power autarkic expenditures. No campaigner does. That is the law, and she sees those ads erstwhile you spot them." — Ajay Mohan, Campaign Manager

• Says Hernandez is "laser focused connected lowering costs of lodging and wellness care, and supporting beardown nationalist safety"
• Notes candidates legally cannot coordinate with Super PACs

AIPAC’s Response

The Guardian contacted AIPAC for comment. No effect was published astatine property time.

Why This Matters Beyond California

1. AIPAC’s Spending Is Skyrocketing

• $67.2 cardinal spent truthful acold successful the 2026 cycle (per New York Times)
• That’s double what they spent successful erstwhile cycles
• Mostly targeting Democratic primaries

2. Recent Track Record: Mixed Results

• Michigan Senate Primary (2026): AIPAC spent millions backing mean Haley Stevens → Progressive Abdul El-Sayed won
• California 15th District: AIPAC-backed spending supporting Hernandez → Wahab inactive leads by 20+ points

3. The Bigger Question

Can a fistful of well-funded groups override section voters’ preferences?
Or bash voters yet determine based connected what they cognize astir candidates?

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER

• This is simply a SPECIAL ELECTION to decorativeness Swalwell’s word + a regular November predetermination for the adjacent afloat term
• Runoff predetermination coming aboriginal this month — Wahab vs. Hernandez, circular two
• Swalwell resigned aft multiple intersexual battle allegations (not straight related to this race, but wherefore the spot is open)
• Candidates legally CANNOT power Super PAC ads — adjacent if the ads assistance them
• Wahab has won some earlier contests by 20+ points contempt the spending

Summary: The Big Picture successful 5 Bullet Points

1. Open spot + peculiar predetermination = precocious stakes → Outside wealth floods in
2. AIPAC’s Super PACs person spent $4.4M+ backing Hernandez, attacking Wahab
3. Wahab is the wide frontrunner — won primaries by 20+ points, has wide endorsements
4. Wahab calls it "election interference" — voters accidental they’re disgusted by onslaught ads
5. This is portion of a nationalist pattern — AIPAC doubling spending successful Democratic primaries, with mixed results

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

What’s a "special election" and wherefore are determination 2 elections?

A peculiar predetermination fills the rest of the existent term (ending January 2027). The regular November predetermination chooses who serves the next afloat term (2027–2029). Same candidates, 2 abstracted votes.

Can AIPAC conscionable bargain elections?

They tin try to power them with ads and mailers. But voters inactive formed the ballots. In Michigan and truthful acold successful California, dense spending hasn’t guaranteed victory.

Why is AIPAC progressive successful a California contention that isn’t astir Israel?

AIPAC’s Super PAC backs candidates they presumption arsenic pro-Israel and opposes those they spot arsenic captious of Israel. Wahab has been captious of Israeli policy; Hernandez has not. AIPAC besides targets progressives much broadly.

If candidates can’t power Super PAC ads, wherefore bash they benefit?

Even without coordination, Super PACs tally ads that echo a candidate’s message oregon attack their opponent. Candidates payment from the escaped airtime/mailers—but legally indispensable accidental "I didn’t o.k. this."

Who decides the winner?

You do — if you unrecorded successful California’s 15th District. The runoff is aboriginal this month; the wide is successful November. All the wealth successful the satellite doesn’t vote. People do.

Want to larn more? Check your elector registration, probe some candidates’ existent records, and speech to neighbors. The champion antidote to extracurricular wealth is an informed vote.