After ousting Cori Bush, could Ilhan Omar be pro-Israel AIPAC's next target?

After AIPAC helped Cori Bush lose her congressional primary in Missouri this week, the lobby group could turn to Ilhan Omar's race in Minnesota next week.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee appears to have the momentum in helping defeat members of the progressive squad in their Democratic primaries this summer.

In June the right-wing pro-Israel lobby group, through its super PAC the United Democracy Project, helped oust Jamaal Bowman in New York, making it the most expensive election in US House history. And this week, in the second most expensive House race, AIPAC was the biggest donor in helping oust Bush, helping her opponent outspend her four to one.

The election results this week were not surprising, given Bush's drop in the polls in recent months. However, the amount of money AIPAC is willing to put into congressional primaries to oust progressive Democrats shows their determination to quash dissent of the political establishment, particularly when it comes to Israel.

Bush, who is known for her outspoken criticism of US policy in Israel, condemned AIPAC in her concession speech, saying, "I'm coming to tear down your kingdom." These words were quickly denounced by the White House as inflammatory.

The 7 October attacks by Hamas on Israel saw a major fundraising boost for AIPAC, which has reportedly pledged to spend around US$100 million in targeting progressives.

Some progressives have pushed back on AIPAC's efforts, accusing them of Republican interference in Democratic elections.

Indeed, some of the group's most prominent donors are Republicans. Moreover, in the cases of Bush and Bowman's opponents, Wesley Bell and George Latimer, both have ties to the Republican Party.

As Omar's re-election bid in Minnesota approaches, the polls show that she doesn't appear to be in danger of losing to Don Samuels, the leading candidate that AIPAC, through its super PAC, backed against her two years ago. However, that could quickly change with an ad blitz before election day.

So far, media reports have indicated that AIPAC has not invested in unseating Omar. This could mean that they plan on spending in the last days of the campaign, or that they are late in reporting spending, or that they simply don't think see her as a vulnerable target.

"AIPAC hasn't spent heavily on strong members. They're trying to go for the low-hanging fruit," Edward Ahmed Mitchell, a board member of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Action.

Despite some of their recent victories, he doesn't see AIPAC's strategy as being successful in the long-term, given the American public's growing support for Palestinian civilians and for a ceasefire in Gaza.