Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman, was last week defeated in the Kentucky primaries. Despite all the energy and enthusiasm of his campaign, he lost to a little-known opponent, Ed Gallrein. But this was no ordinary Republican primary — with more than $32 million spent on advertising, it was the most expensive House primary on record, according to tracking firm AdImpact. Politico reported that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other pro-Israel interest groups spent more than $9 million in a bid to unseat Massie.

The Kentucky congressman's stand against US aid to Israel and the Iran war triggered a pro-Israel donor backlash that reveals how firmly the lobby still shapes Republican politics

The primary defeat had less to do with Israeli influence and more to do with Massie's pandering to populist radicals.

Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman, was last week defeated in the Kentucky primaries. Despite all the energy and enthusiasm of his campaign, he lost to a little-known…

Israel often doesn’t get its way in Washington. And the Israeli government spends less on lobbying the U.S. government than other countries.

The First Major Primary Battle in the 2026 U.S. Midterm Elections Resulted in a Significant Victory for AIPAC and Other pro-Israel Megadonors, but Haaretz's Was