{"id":42911,"date":"2025-07-28T12:24:28","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T19:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=42911"},"modified":"2025-07-28T12:24:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T19:24:29","slug":"is-aipac-testing-the-waters-to-primary-rep-summer-lee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2025\/07\/28\/is-aipac-testing-the-waters-to-primary-rep-summer-lee\/","title":{"rendered":"IS AIPAC TESTING THE WATERS TO PRIMARY REP. SUMMER LEE?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AIPAC did its second poll this year on potential candidates to challenge members of Congress who have criticized Israel\u2019s genocide in Gaza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Akela Lacy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 25 2025 (TheIntercept.com)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"WASHINGTON,<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., speaks with Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., during a House Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement hearing on July 23, 2025, in Washington. Photo: Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRO-ISRAEL GROUPS<\/strong> are considering backing two potential primary challengers against progressive Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A survey sent earlier this month to people living in Pittsburgh and its suburbs asked for respondents\u2019 opinion on two possible candidates to challenge Lee. The survey included a question on people\u2019s opinions about the candidates being backed by \u201ca right-wing organization that supports Trump and is funded by MAGA millionaires and billionaires.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey question appears set up to test whether voters would oppose one of the candidates because of backing from groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee \u2014 which is funded by billionaire donors to Donald Trump and, in 2020, endorsed more than 100 Republican members of Congress who voted to overturn the results of that year\u2019s presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How Does AIPAC Shape Washington? We Tracked Every Dollar.<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wording was identical to another survey sent in May to constituents in the district of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., The Intercept reported<\/a>. That survey was the first this year to indicate that AIPAC was considering a primary challenge against Omar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the latest poll, it appears that AIPAC and possibly other pro-Israel groups are setting their sights on another challenge against Lee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs usual, AIPAC sees the Democratic electorate begging for more progressive leadership that takes on the corporate elite, and they are desperate to force corporate shills down our throats instead,\u201d said Usamah Andrabi, the communications director for Justice Democrats, a group backing Lee. (AIPAC did not respond to a request for comment.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey in Lee\u2019s district also said both potential candidates, Pittsburgh City Controller Rachael Heisler and former Pennsylvania Auditor General <\/a>Eugene DePasquale<\/a>, were backed by \u201cpro-Israel groups that lobby Congress to provide billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars in aid and weapons to Israel each year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lee and Omar are two of a handful of progressive members of Congress who have drawn the ire of AIPAC and other pro-Israel groups for calling to end U.S. military funding to Israel and criticizing Israel\u2019s genocide in Gaza. AIPAC spent more than <\/a>$100 million<\/a> on primaries last cycle, including more than <\/a>$25 million<\/a> to unseat Reps. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lee, Omar, and other progressives have also been vocal critics<\/a> of AIPAC. Lee introduced a bill earlier this year to ban super PACs<\/a> like AIPAC\u2019s United Democracy Project, which spent millions of dollars<\/a> against her when she first ran for Congress in 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lee won reelection<\/a> last year against another Republican-backed pro-Israel primary challenger<\/a>. In that race, The Intercept reported<\/a>. AIPAC tried and failed to recruit two candidates to run against her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery cycle, corporate lobbies, special interest groups and Trump megadonors look to buy this Congressional seat,\u201d Lee said in a statement. \u201cMy constituents want leaders who fight for their interests against the wealthy & well-connected, not politicians that can be bought with a corporate PAC check.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey asked a series of questions about positions taken by candidates that aligned more closely with Republicans than liberal Democrats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s no mistake that they\u2019re polling the viability of candidates that evidently oppose the Affordable Care Act, Medicare for All, same-sex marriage, the Green New Deal, abortion rights, Medicare, and Social Security,\u201d said Andrabi. \u201cAIPAC\u2019s favorite type of Democrat is one you can most easily mistake for a Republican and most easily buy with a few bucks from Donald Trump\u2019s donors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testing Candidates\u2019 Positions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The survey in Pittsburgh asked people to rate their level of concern in response to pro-Israel groups supporting both Heisler and DePasquale, and whether they would support either candidate in a Democratic primary election against Lee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRachael Heisler is supported by pro-Israel groups that lobby Congress to provide billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars in aid and weapons to Israel each year,\u201d the survey said. \u201cPlease indicate whether it raises very serious concerns, serious concerns, minor concerns, or no real concerns for you about Rachael Heisler.\u201d The survey posed the same question about DePasquale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The poll also asked respondents to rate their level of concern about potential criticisms of Lee, DePasquale, and Heisler. Criticisms of Lee included her vote against former President Joe Biden\u2019s debt deal, her support for the Uncommitted movement<\/a> in 2024, and the claim that \u201cLee is more interested in dividing Democrats\u201d than fighting Trump\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSummer Lee is too extreme,\u201d read another prompt. \u201cShe has long associated herself with the Democratic Socialists of America which supports defunding the police, eliminating prisons and releasing all criminals, opening our borders, getting rid of individually-owned cars, abolishing U-S-A-I-D, and withdrawing from NATO. Summer Lee\u2019s radical positions do not reflect our community.\u201d (Lee is no longer a member of DSA.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Respondents were asked to rate their concerns about the statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a section asking about possible criticism of DePasquale, the survey asked respondents how they felt about him taking corporate PAC money and opposing progressive policy efforts like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.Read Our Complete CoverageIsrael\u2019s War on Gaza<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile progressive Democrats have called for getting corporate money out of politics, Eugene DePasquale has taken tens of thousands of dollars from corporate PACs, including from major corporations like AT&T, Comcast, Pfizer and PNC Bank,\u201d the survey said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It added that DePasquale \u201ccalls himself a progressive\u201d but opposed Medicare for All, rejected the Green New Deal, opposed same sex marriage, praised parts of Trump\u2019s agenda, and supported expanding the state\u2019s natural gas industry. (DePasquale did not respond to a request for comment.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DePasquale has supported gay marriage<\/a> publicly since at least 2012. In 2020, He said<\/a> he did not support the Green New Deal<\/a> or Medicare for All, and favored a public option and improvements to the Affordable Care Act. On the environment, DePasquale has a mixed record. During a race for Pennsylvania attorney general and as state auditor, he came down on the side with energy interests<\/a> and climate activists<\/a>, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WE\u2019RE INDEPENDENT OF CORPORATE INTERESTS \u2014 AND POWERED BY MEMBERS. JOIN US.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

BECOME A MEMBER<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Posing potential criticisms of Heisler, the survey asked respondents how concerned they were about the claim that Heisler had \u201ca record of standing with the wealthy and powerful\u201d and worked with groups advancing policies to benefit billionaires, including gutting Social Security and Medicare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey also asked respondents how they felt about Heisler donating to the 2018 campaign of<\/a> anti-abortion <\/a>Democrat Dan Lipinski<\/a> in Illinois. It also asked them to rate their concerns about Heisler working for former Rep. Jason Altmire, a Pennsylvania Democrat who voted against<\/a> the ACA in 2010. (Heisler did not respond to a request for comment.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel in Pennsylvania<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Respondents were also asked to rate their opinion of other officials and groups including Altmire; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; Democratic Socialists of America; Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro; and Sen. John Fetterman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Heisler and DePasquale have expressed support for Israel and efforts by pro-Israel groups to influence policy in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania. DePasquale was endorsed<\/a> last year by two groups that also backed<\/a> Lee\u2019s primary challenger, Bhavini Patel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, Heisler fought a referendum petition organized by anti-genocide activists to push Pittsburgh to divest<\/a> from governments engaged in genocide \u2014 namely Israel. (Not On Our Dime did not respond to a request for comment.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Heisler went on a $15,000 trip paid for by AIPAC\u2019s educational arm<\/a>, which it uses to send politicians to Israel, a typical step in the group\u2019s efforts to recruit a candidate. George Latimer, the AIPAC-funded<\/a> candidate who unseated Bowman<\/a>, the New York representative, took a trip to Israel<\/a> shortly before he announced his primary challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy constituents want leaders who fight for their interests against the wealthy and well-connected, not politicians that can be bought with a corporate PAC check,\u201d Lee said. \u201cThey can keep polling and we\u2019re going to keep fighting back against the Trump administration to protect and deliver for our constituents.\u201dShare<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CONTACT THE AUTHOR:<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Akela Lacy<\/a>akela.lacy@theintercept.com<\/a>@akela_lacy<\/a>on X<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AIPAC did its second poll this year on potential candidates to challenge members of Congress who have criticized Israel\u2019s genocide in Gaza. Akela Lacy July 25 2025 (TheIntercept.com) Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., speaks with Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., during a House Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement hearing on July 23,… Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42911"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42911"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42911\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42912,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42911\/revisions\/42912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}