Watch for new ads from a group affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. This time, it’s in support of Melissa Conyears-Ervin, who’s running in the competitive Democratic primary in Illinois’ 7th Congressional District.
One of Conyears-Ervin’s challengers is Jason Friedman, who is Jewish and has been the target of antisemitic attacks that falsely weaponized AIPAC against him — protesting at events and shouting out epithets related to the war in Gaza.
Conyears-Ervin is an establishment Democrat who previously served in the state legislature and is now Chicago’s city treasurer. She’s also been endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union. […]
The United Democracy Project, as the group is called, is spending $458,865 on TV and cable ads today through Feb. 16, according to ad-buy information obtained by Playbook. And the group could spend that much for weeks going forward.
Click here for some background on the United Democracy Project.
Recent reporting and public records raise serious concerns about [Melissa Conyears Ervin’s] ethical record and the powerful special interests backing her campaign. At the same time, an outside group, United Democracy Project which has been widely reported as just another shell organization funded by AIPAC, is pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into the race to buy this seat for her and rob people of a representative true to them, not special interests.
“This race is about who we fight for,” said Driver Jr. “I’m running to represent working people and stand up to Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Melissa Conyears Ervin will cave to the highest bidder like the Washington insiders that are trying to buy this seat for her. Voters deserve leadership they can trust, not more of the same corruption and pay-to-play politics that Melissa Conyears-Ervin represents.” […]
“I entered this race because I am tired of status quo politicians who do nothing to better the living conditions of our communities. I emphatically believe this district isn’t for sale,” Driver Jr. added. “No amount of outside money can erase a record that voters are already questioning. Our campaign is powered by people, and together we’re building a movement that puts integrity and transparency back at the center of our politics. I urge Melissa Conyears-Ervin to denounce AIPAC and their shell organizations meddling in this election.”
Another Democratic opponent Reed Showalter…
“After failing spectacularly in New Jersey, AIPAC is prepared to drop millions of dollars to buy Illinois’ 7th District,” said Reed Showalter. “AIPAC is a right-wing dark money organization that threatens our democracy while hiding its true goal—to elect candidates willing to sell out human rights and our tax dollars for campaign cash. And it is shocking, but not surprising, that AIPAC is backing Melissa Conyears-Ervin. AIPAC’s corruption enables genocide; Melissa Conyears-Ervin’s corruption enables her own financial gain. But our district and our democracy are not for sale, and we are more than ready for this fight.”
Anabel Mendoza…
Following reports of new investments in the 7th Congressional District by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)’s United Democracy Project — the same super PAC that attempted to tip the scale in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District Democratic primary and failed — Anabel Mendoza, a lifelong Chicagoan, immigrant rights organizer, and candidate running for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, released the following statement:
“All across the country, AIPAC and their shell PACs continue to pour millions of dollars worth of dark money into our elections with a simple but insidious goal: buy seats, control who’s in them, and bankroll genocide, war crimes, and violence here and abroad. All the while, families across our district struggle to afford health care, keep a roof over their head, and put food on the table. Both Melissa Conyears-Ervin’s and Jason Friedman’s willingness to sell this seat to outside interests is exactly what’s broken with our political system.
“I’m running to end this cycle because anyone who cannot clearly call a genocide a genocide, reject corporate PAC and special interest money, and stand up to this blatant corruption has no business holding office. Unlike others in this race, my values aren’t for sale. Neither is this seat.”
* Moving on to the 8th Congressional District, Junaid Ahmed is out with his first TV ad. Press release…
Today, the Junaid Ahmed for Congress campaign announced the release of its first broadcast television ad in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 8th Congressional District. The ad marks the first major broadcast buy in the race by a campaign and builds on the campaign’s digital and streaming ads, which launched two weeks prior.
The new broadcast ad highlights Junaid’s commitment to standing up to Donald Trump, fighting for Medicare for All, and abolishing ICE. The ad also makes clear that while Junaid is fighting for working families, Melissa Bean is out of touch and does not share our values. Known as “Wall Street’s favorite Democrat,” Bean voted to give the wealthy a tax cut and send $26 billion to ICE.
* US Rep. Eric Sorensen has endorsed US Senate candidate Juliana Stratton…
I’m so proud to have earned the endorsement of @ERICSORENSEN! I’ve seen how hard Congressman Sorensen works for the people of Illinois, and his support means the world to me. Let’s go #TeamJuliana! pic.twitter.com/iQDlFiu1K0
* Press release | Latino Leadership Council Endorses Raja Krishnamoorthi for U.S. Senate: “I am proud to have earned the support of the Latino Leadership Council,” said Raja. “Their leadership in expanding opportunities and increasing economic mobility for Latino communities strengthens our entire state. In the U.S. Senate, I will carry that fight forward — making life more affordable, creating real pathways to prosperity, and holding government accountable to the people it serves. Together, we will create an Illinois where every family can realize their full American Dream.”
* Jewish Insider | AIPAC super PAC launches ads supporting Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin’s House campaign: Friedman, who is Jewish, has a record of support for and engagement with Israel through the JUF, including leading numerous JUF delegations to the Jewish state. He’s seen by some as an unconventional candidate for the historically Black-dominated district. A pair of recently created super PACs began running ads last week backing moderate pro-Israel women in several other Chicago-area districts. Those groups are rumored to be supported by UDP or other pro-Israel backers, but the 7th District is the only one in which UDP is directly and publicly involved.
The Latino Leadership Council’s endorsement of Raja is notable for several reasons. One of the most interesting is that a board member, who is a lobbyist/attorney donated $50K through his own PAC to Brandon Johnson and has received $2.5 million (to date and ongoing) from the City of Chicago, appears on Raja’s “Business Leaders for Raja” list. Latino Leadership Council also donated $50K to Brandon Johnson months after the initial $50K donation. Interesting indeed.
More threats today Rahm?? Must be persuasive agenda AIPAC is pushing if they feel the need to threaten people. Needless to say your threats come off as hilarious
I have worked on the ground in local & national campaigns all over the city/state. The belief that one PAC can determine a race, is severely underestimating the consistency of a block of voters who have shown again & again THEY determine what happens in their community, no one else. Let’s give these voters the respect they deserve.
- sad state of affairs - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 2:12 pm:
The IL-08 race is weird because the press has completely ignored it and no one has bothered to try and get to know the candidates and explain their backgrounds. You can barely find coverage of an actual congressional race. It’s really showing how hollowed out our news organizations are. The only people with real money to compete in the race are Bean and Junaid, and Bean gave her own campaign a couple hundred thousand. Everyone else doesn’t have real money to compete and even after giving themselves huge checks.
AIPAC is really jumping the shark on this one. MCE has significant problems and is so clearly not an obvious candidate for AIPAC to support. Jason Friedman is running a strong campaign in what is no longer a black majority district and is perfectly solid on the AIPAC issues. So why weigh in for a candidate who shall we say has had some serious issues in the past. Makes no sense whatsoever.
The only good thing that would result from Conyears-Ervin would be that it would get her out of the City and the City Yreasurer’s Office specifically. I’d literally have to hold my nose to vote for her. She treats her staff horribly. God bless you if you work for her.
I’ll always vote Dem in the fall but for the primary Im supporting LaShawn Ford.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 2:15 pm:
Moneybuys - I wasn’t threatening anyone. I was begging for civility. Please listen to what the hell I was saying before. You should not speak about AIPAC or other groups any differently than Planned Parenthood or other groups.
This is not hard people.
- Leslie - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 1:22 pm:
I suppose that AIPAC’s vast resources and national network now makes Melissa Conyears-Ervin the front runner in the 7th CD?
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 1:26 pm:
Cap Fax friends, before commenting - please think before you write this time.
- Suburban mom 2 - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 1:34 pm:
Has anyone come across polling for IL-08? It’s such a weird race.
- Trinity - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 1:42 pm:
The Latino Leadership Council’s endorsement of Raja is notable for several reasons. One of the most interesting is that a board member, who is a lobbyist/attorney donated $50K through his own PAC to Brandon Johnson and has received $2.5 million (to date and ongoing) from the City of Chicago, appears on Raja’s “Business Leaders for Raja” list. Latino Leadership Council also donated $50K to Brandon Johnson months after the initial $50K donation. Interesting indeed.
- moneybuys - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 1:43 pm:
More threats today Rahm?? Must be persuasive agenda AIPAC is pushing if they feel the need to threaten people. Needless to say your threats come off as hilarious
- Leslie Dimas - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 2:00 pm:
I have worked on the ground in local & national campaigns all over the city/state. The belief that one PAC can determine a race, is severely underestimating the consistency of a block of voters who have shown again & again THEY determine what happens in their community, no one else. Let’s give these voters the respect they deserve.
- sad state of affairs - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 2:12 pm:
The IL-08 race is weird because the press has completely ignored it and no one has bothered to try and get to know the candidates and explain their backgrounds. You can barely find coverage of an actual congressional race. It’s really showing how hollowed out our news organizations are. The only people with real money to compete in the race are Bean and Junaid, and Bean gave her own campaign a couple hundred thousand. Everyone else doesn’t have real money to compete and even after giving themselves huge checks.
- New Day - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 2:13 pm:
AIPAC is really jumping the shark on this one. MCE has significant problems and is so clearly not an obvious candidate for AIPAC to support. Jason Friedman is running a strong campaign in what is no longer a black majority district and is perfectly solid on the AIPAC issues. So why weigh in for a candidate who shall we say has had some serious issues in the past. Makes no sense whatsoever.
- Alton Sinkhole - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 2:13 pm:
The attacks against Friedman almost make it seem like the fauxgressive outrage at AIPAC may not be about AIPAC after all…
- low level - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 2:14 pm:
The only good thing that would result from Conyears-Ervin would be that it would get her out of the City and the City Yreasurer’s Office specifically. I’d literally have to hold my nose to vote for her. She treats her staff horribly. God bless you if you work for her.
I’ll always vote Dem in the fall but for the primary Im supporting LaShawn Ford.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 2:15 pm:
Moneybuys - I wasn’t threatening anyone. I was begging for civility. Please listen to what the hell I was saying before. You should not speak about AIPAC or other groups any differently than Planned Parenthood or other groups.
This is not hard people.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Feb 10, 26 @ 2:43 pm:
Has there been any polling done on IL-07? Who’s leading that race?