Pro-Israel Lobby Spends Big to Defeat Progressive Summer Lee

Nearly three out of four dollars backing Lee's Democratic primary opponent Steve Irwin came from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee or super PACs deeply tied to it.

Pro-Israel Lobby Spends Big to Defeat Progressive Summer Lee
Summer Lee and Steve Irwin are the leading candidates in the PA-12 Democratic primary.

Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI), fresh off its victory in helping defeat progressive Democratic challenger Nina Turner in Ohio, has begun throwing money behind corporate attorney and former Republican congressional staffer Steve Irwin in Pennsylvania. Irwin is facing progressive State House Rep. Summer Lee in the Democratic primary for the state’s 12th Congressional District, a solidly Democratic seat that is being vacated by retiring Democratic Rep. Mike Doyle. 

The group’s super PAC recently put $305,000 behind TV ads and $95,000 behind internet ads backing Irwin, according to new FEC filings. DMFI is closely tied to the pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).