This primary and midterm election season is weighing heavily on many of us for different reasons. There’s a lot of information circulating regarding candidate connections to AIPAC money in the District 7 race, a race that is packed with candidates. It is important as a resident in this district to understand who AIPAC is and who they are putting lots of money behind in an effort to support their policies, which do not benefit the residents of the 7th District.
AIPAC is the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and they seek to spend huge sums of money to grease the wheels for their own agenda — opposing candidates who challenge unconditional aid to Israel. They have powerful PACs and a super-PAC called the United Democracy Project (UDP) that is running ads for candidates who will not question the over $38 billion in military aid over the last 10 years. (1)
I thought our representatives represented us, the community. The UDP has given Melissa Conyears-Ervin, who has a history of corruption in her job as Chicago City Treasurer (2), over $2.8 million (3).
Is opposing a government the same as opposing a culture, or a people? Of course not. Keep your eyes open; these powerful PACs are supporting goals not in the interest of our communities.
Sources:
1. U.S. Gov https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL33222
2. WTTW https://news.wttw.com/2025/10/02/chicago-city-treasurer-melissa-conyears-ervin-agrees-pay-30k-firing-whistleblowers
3. American Prospect https://prospect.org/2026/02/10/aipac-super-pac-illinois-house-congress-melissa-conyears-ervin
Zerrin Bulut
Oak Park