A Spending Machine Working Exactly as Designed
Somewhere in Chicago right now, a voter is watching an ad for Laura Fine, a Democratic state senator running in Illinois's Ninth Congressional District. The ad is paid for by a group called "Elect Chicago Women." You've probably never heard of it. It was created recently, has no track record, and does not have to disclose its donors until after the March 17 primary is over. By then, the votes will be counted and the nominee will be set. That's not a bug. That's a feature.
Elect Chicago Women is one of several super PACs spending heavily in Illinois's crowded congressional primaries — races that will determine who holds at least four of Chicago's open congressional seats for the next two years. Three of the top four outside spenders in these races — "Elect Chicago Women," "Affordable Chicago Now," and the openly named United Democracy Project — have collectively reserved nearly $11 million in advertising, the majority of it in Illinois [1]. Critics believe all three are conduits for money from one source: the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. AIPAC itself isn't confirming or denying a connection to the newer groups. It doesn't have to.
The United Democracy Project — AIPAC's super PAC, launched in 2022 — doesn't hide its affiliation. It's already reserved $2.8 million to back Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Chicago's city treasurer, in the race to replace retiring Rep. Danny Davis in IL-07 [1]. Conyears-Ervin faces Kina Collins and roughly a dozen other candidates. The other groups, Elect Chicago Women and Affordable Chicago Now, are boosting candidates in IL-09, IL-08, and IL-02 respectively — races that feature progressive challengers who have criticized U.S. policy on Gaza and Israel. None of these organizations mention Israel in their advertising [2].

