A new progressive Democrat with an anti-Israel stance is set to be sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives. This follows a mix-up by the pro-Israel lobbying organization AIPAC, which inadvertently supported her campaign.
Analilia Mejia, a Democrat, won a special election in New Jersey last week, filling the seat left vacant by former Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, who is expected to become governor in November 2025. Mejia’s swearing-in is scheduled for Monday afternoon, allowing Democrats to regain a seat following Sherrill’s resignation last fall.
This sort of miscalculation is quite unusual for lobbying groups.
Prior to the election, AIPAC invested millions into the Democratic primary to support former Congressman Tom Malinowski, who has openly criticized the Israeli government. AIPAC’s campaign compared Malinowski’s record to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, successfully sidelining him as a prominent candidate.
In their attempt to eliminate Malinowski from contention, AIPAC accidentally backed Mejia, who has been vocal in her critiques of Israel.
AIPAC likely believed its advertising efforts would strengthen the bid of Democratic Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, a strong pro-Israel supporter, amid competitive primary races. However, they ended up promoting Mejia, whose views align with some of the more progressive voices in Congress, including accusations regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza.
In a post made on April 10, Mejia stated, “Congress must abolish blank checks for Trump and Netanyahu.” She emphasized that the United States should actively facilitate a ceasefire in Lebanon and stop financial support that would enable Israel to escalate military actions. She articulated a broader intention to end American involvement in wars across various regions.
This misjudgment marks a significant departure from AIPAC’s usual effectiveness, as they have previously seen success in primaries against candidates perceived as insufficiently supportive of Israel or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including some members of the “Squad” like Jamal Bowman and Cori Bush.
