Democrats roll out antisemitism PAC as internal tensions over Israel deepen

Although the PAC has not adopted a formal endorsement scorecard, lawmakers who back the Antisemitism Awareness Act are expected to stand out as natural allies.

By Aaron Sull, Jewish Breaking News

Congressional Democrats have unveiled a new political action committee aimed at confronting a surge of antisemitism within the party.

The Alliance Against Anti-Semitism PAC, co-chaired by Reps. Greg Landsman (D-OH), Laura Friedman (D-CA), and Ted Lieu (D-CA), was quietly registered with the FEC in October and is now preparing to support candidates who are willing to speak forcefully against anti-Jewish rhetoric ahead of next year’s primaries.

While the Democratic Party already has several groups focused on pro-Israel politics, the PAC is the first explicitly dedicated to countering antisemitism.

“We want to celebrate and lift up those leaders who are unapologetically going to fight back against hate in all of its forms, including antisemitism,” Landsman tells Jewish Insider.

“Sometimes antisemitism gets lost. This is our effort to root it out on our side, and I think it’s going to have an enormous impact.”

“There has been a lot of demonizing and bothering of Jews, particularly Jews who believe in Jewish self-determination and statehood,” he added.

“I think it’s really important that we clarify that for folks.”

Although the PAC has not adopted a formal endorsement scorecard, lawmakers who back the Antisemitism Awareness Act are expected to stand out as natural allies.

Introduced over the spring by Sens. Tim Scott and Jacky Rosen, the bill would require the Education Department to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, giving universities clearer standards for when anti-Israel protests cross into unlawful discrimination.

On Friday, the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC announced its new endorsements for the 2026 Senate cycle, including Reps. Angie Craig, Haley Stevens, Chris Pappas, and former North Carolina governor Roy Cooper.

Other progressives have urged candidates to align with the Jewish Democratic Council of America and J Street, groups whose policies often mirror the left’s softer line on Israel and routinely put it at odds with mainstream Jewish organizations.

At the same time, Democratic lawmakers are increasingly distancing themselves from the right-wing AIPAC, a break driven largely by disagreements over Gaza and continued U.S. military aid to Israel.

A YouGov poll from October showed that more than 70% of Democrats believe Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza, while just seven percent hold a favorable view of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.