this post was submitted on 11 Feb 2026

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251

Progressive Democrat Wins New Jersey Primary as AIPAC Money Backfires (newrepublic.com)

submitted 1 day ago by nulluser@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

52 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Progressive Analilia Mejia has pulled off a long-shot win in a special election primary for New Jersey’s 11th congressional district, defeating favorite Tom Malinowski thanks to AIPAC’s intervention in the race.

Malinowski conceded Tuesday morning, saying in a post on X that Mejia “deserves unequivocal praise and credit for running a positive campaign and for inspiring so many voters on Election Day.”

“But the outcome of this race cannot be understood without also taking into account the massive flood of dark money that AIPAC spent on dishonest ads during the last three weeks,” Malinowski’s post said.

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[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 7 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

AIPAC is reportedly about to pour tens of millions into this year's mid-terms in the US to influence elections to preserving the current status-quo, including Democrats who have held their seats for like, the last three thousand years.

We have to flush every incumbent and start our government over. Please get out there and register and pour out the rotten contents of this old party of worthless liches and refill with new contents. It's just a start. We have a vast amount of work to do, and you need to be focused on your local community leadership, those are the bricks that hold up the entire stupid tower of idiocy and evil we have now.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 2 points 12 hours ago

How silly. Why don't they just use the Russian Election Interference Ray that consists of about 6000$ of gifs on Tik Tok?

[–] lka1988@sh.itjust.works 7 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

I'm somewhat confused by how this article is worded. If AIPAC's negative ads against Malinowski worked and caused Meija to win instead, how exactly did that backfire?

[–] ajoebyanyothername@lemmy.world 3 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

From the article, looks like Meija's views on Israel are even stronger than Malinowski's. So it's even further against AIPIC's interests for Meija to have won, but I assume they hasn't considered that at the time of putting the attack ads out. But I may be wrong, the article doesn't make it quite as clear as it maybe could.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 16 hours ago

AIPAC did their own version of the classic "Kamala Harris won't be perfect, so I'm going to focus all my ire on her instead of trump."

[–] lka1988@sh.itjust.works 3 points 16 hours ago

Yeah, I had to read it a few times to fully understand it. Whoever wrote the article did a piss-poor job and needs to go back to English class. My 1st grader can write better than that.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 10 points 19 hours ago

Change has to come from the primaries. This is where the battle needs to be fought, by the time it's into an election it's over, and you end up with Republican or Republican Light.

[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 7 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

....why does this article end like mid-thought? I'm not even totally clear on exactly what happened. They funded the progressive before she made her position known?

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 12 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

The non-progressive forerunner dared to say that we might want to reconsider sending unconditional arms to Israel. In response, AIPAC released a series of negative ads against him. This split the non-progressive votes, and cleared the way for the progressive to win.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 3 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

As glad as I am to see a progressive win in the primaries, it's sickening that a foreign influence lobby has that much sway over US internal politics, and it isn't even a secret...

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 3 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, it's even worse than most people realize. AIPAC is catching on to their drop in support and is now funneling their money to politicians through proxy PACs, such as the United Democracy Project (UDP). Also, since unrestricted arms sales to Israel is not a popular position, they didn't bother attacking Malinowski on that issue. Instead, they put out ads on the topic of him funding ICE, since they knew that would hurt him more.

Good news is that AIPAC has now paid for the focus group polling, and field tested the idea of attacking politicians on the topic of ICE support. This should embolden progressive candidates to attack establishment politicians on this issue.

Here is a longish article on AIPAC and the NJ special election for more details. Also, Ryan Grimm has a great summary in the first third of this video. It looks like Breaking Points covers this election again today, but I haven't had a chance to watch the new episode yet.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I see.

Hopefully this win and others like Mamdani's embolden a new push for progressive candidates, especially now when the republican base is weakening, and people are losing patience with establishment Dems.

As long as elections aren't obstructed by the fascists (that's a big if), then this is actually a really good opportunity for progressive politics, if it's seized on. Like, I can't think of a better time to run on a progressive platform.

Hopefully the tankies don't succeed at convincing everyone not to vote. They're as dangerous as maga to the progressive cause.

[–] freedom@lemy.lol 2 points 12 hours ago

Be careful with Mamdani. He’s placed a few Israeli supporters in positions. I want to believe he won organically, but you never know. Maybe they were placed there due to political games he was forced to play, but still double take territory.

[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 5 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Ah, thank you for not explaining that while literally walking out the d

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 1 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (2 children)

I'm sorry, but I don't understand this post (and that's not my downvote).

Edit: I like your joke and I'm happy I could help. To be fair, I already heard about this AIPAC blunder, so I didn't need to rely on how this specific article was written.

[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

(I was walking out the door, like the author while writing the article)

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 0 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Edit: 🤦‍♂️ I get it now 🤣

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

You didn't answer his first question. The primary question he asked

So he ended his response early like he states the article did.

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 0 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (1 children)

Them:

why does this article end like mid-thought?

You:

You didn't answer his first question. The primary question he asked

Surely you can't be serious. Nobody is going to be able able to jump into the author's brain like that, and it is obviously not a serious "primary" question.

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 0 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

That is right. When you don't know you don't say. You should have just not answered at all.

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 1 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (1 children)

Please re-read the exchange. I clearly and concisly answered the primary question, which is about what happened in regard to AIPAC funding in the election.

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 0 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

How about we see that differently. The first question is what I consider the primary question.

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 1 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (1 children)

The first question obviously wasn't a serious question, but they were clearly confused about who AIPAC was funding.

No AIPAC did not accidentally fund the progressive. Instead they accidentally went after the moderate with the best chances of winning. I was happy to clear that up.

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world -1 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

RampantParanoia2365 2·63%·53· 4 hours ago Ah, thank you for not explaining that while literally walking out the d

AlDente @sh.itjust.works English 1·67%·21· 3 hours ago I’m sorry, but I don’t understand this post (and that’s not my downvote).

This you? Not understanding what the guy said in his post. The thread we are in right now. Comprehension isn't my problem. I know what I'm talking about here but you keep trying to move the goal posts.

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 1 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

I think it is you who still doesn't comprehend what they were saying. They weren't getting sassy with me, they were making a joke while thanking me for the explaination. They made that perfectly clear in the later response.

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 0 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Goodbye.

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 1 points 18 hours ago

Glad I could help! 🙋‍♂️

[–] BigMacHole@sopuli.xyz 66 points 1 day ago (1 children)

A PROGRESSIVE Won? So the way to WIN Elections is to be Progressive? Let's give ICE MORE Money!

-Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries!

[–] 0tan0d@lemmy.world 26 points 1 day ago

Mockery like this will not go unpunished. Expect a strongly worded letter condemning this comment.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 2 points 21 hours ago

one of the few modern bright spots is when filling out a ballot its much easier to look at a canidates voting record and sources of money.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago (2 children)

AIPAC will have learned from this moving forward.

[–] alpha1beta@piefed.social 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Right after Susan Collins learns hers.

[–] Legonatic@lemmy.world 3 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Vote Graham Platner if you live in Maine.

[–] alpha1beta@piefed.social 4 points 15 hours ago

I do not. But if I did I'd vote for a dung beetle over Collins.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Does that mean the billionaires will stop shoveling money to GOP candidates?

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Full support of the dnc too:

“Analilia Mejia ran a powerful grassroots campaign laser focused on ensuring our economy works for families, not billionaires. From skyrocketing utility and grocery costs to Trump holding the Gateway Tunnel project hostage, New Jersey families are paying the price for Trump and New Jersey Republicans’ toxic agenda. New Jersey deserves a fighter and not a spineless Trump lackey. From now until Election Day, the DNC is all-in to ensure Analilia Mejia clinches victory.”

https://democrats.org/news/dnc-congratulates-analilia-mejia-on-her-victory-in-last-weeks-democratic-primary/

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago (3 children)

DNC ain't exactly showing an ability to determine outcomes any longer.

[–] SolacefromSilence@fedia.io 14 points 1 day ago

Good

[–] kreskin@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Even with trump in office, democratic party registrations continue to plummet. It turns out people dont like Israeli agents who dont give a shite about them. Who could have possibly forseen this?

https://news.gallup.com/poll/700499/new-high-identify-political-independents.aspx

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm not see that as registration. Did I miss that part,?

[–] kreskin@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

hey tropicaldingdong, no you are correct. I've been reading up on it lately and looks like I cited an article that didnt talk about it. Sorry about that. Heres some that talk about registration specifically https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5462604-voter-registration-shift-democrats/ https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2025/08/20/democrats-voter-registration

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago

Thanks for that. I've been looking on any information I can find on registration.

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[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 day ago

This is shocking.

[–] Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Sick.

Real quick though, FUCK ELIZABETH WARREN. Who gives a fuck what that slimeball endorses. We could have had Bernie and now we have the fourth Reich because of this piece of shit and Democrats like her.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 3 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

Weird. I thought there was a huge vote before the Chee-to got in, where people could have chosen something so much better already but ...didn't. That must be Warren's fault personally as well.

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 3 points 21 hours ago

Multiple people can be at fault

[–] Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 1 points 21 hours ago

Do you or they have the power of being one of the first states to endorse a candidate or the power to convince other senators to endorse a candidate instead of the most popular choice?

[–] thlibos@thelemmy.club 1 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

To be fair, the cynic in me says Sanders never would have become president. Even if the DNC had let primaries take their natural course and Sanders had come out of it with the most electoral votes, then the DNC would have just brokered their convention and given it to Biden or Bloomberg anyway. If they somehow didn't do that and Bernie was the actual candidate from the D side, the mainstream media coverage of him would have all sounded like Fox News or Newsmax fluffing Trump. All his major media coverage would have been Marxist chicken-littling. If, even after all that, Bernie somehow won in November of 2020, he never would have made it to the inauguration. He (and his VP candidate) would have had a little accident, a la Jeffrey Epstein, Paul Wellstone, Vince Foster, Terrance Yeakey, etc.

[–] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 2 points 15 hours ago

I've said similar about Hillary winning in 2016. Republicans were already drawing up articles of impeachment. trump or no trump, the country had already fallen into a shithole sewer and was barely keeping it's head above water. Still would have been nice to see Sanders get the nod. Just for some glimmer of hope.

[–] leadore@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Let's go!

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