The color key: what the card colors mean
Every money line on a PoliVion candidate card is color-coded by whose money it is:
| Color | Meaning | Card line looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Red | AIPAC money. Direct contributions from AIPAC’s PAC or routed through AIPAC, documented in FEC filings. | AIPAC $X |
| Orange | Multi-group total. Combined pro-Israel lobby money from several groups (AIPAC plus others) — labeled separately, never presented as AIPAC-only. | Pro-Israel lobby total $X |
| Yellow | Other pro-Israel PACs. Money from pro-Israel PACs other than AIPAC — J Street, JAC, DMFI, NORPAC, and the rest below. No AIPAC-linked record was found. | Other pro-Israel PACs $X |
| Teal | UDP. Backing or opposing via the United Democracy Project’s independent expenditures — outside spending, not donations. | UDP $X backing / opposing |
The big players
Five groups dominate the pro-Israel money in federal races. They differ in two ways that matter: what kind of vehicle they are (PAC vs. super PAC), and which lane they run in.
| Group | Kind | Lane | In plain language |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIPAC PAC | Traditional PAC | Bipartisan establishment | The lobbying group’s own PAC. Gives directly to candidates, subject to federal contribution limits. Red on our cards. |
| United Democracy Project | Super PAC | AIPAC-aligned | AIPAC’s super PAC. Unlimited independent expenditures; cannot coordinate with campaigns. Purple on our cards. |
| DMFI PAC | PAC | Democratic establishment | Democratic Majority for Israel, founded 2019. Elects pro-Israel Democrats and works to defeat anti-Israel Democrats, in its own words. Often backs the same candidates as AIPAC, with overlapping donors. |
| Republican Jewish Coalition Victory Fund | Super PAC | Republican | The RJC’s super PAC arm. Independent expenditures supporting Republican candidates. |
| J Street PAC | PAC | Progressive / pro-peace | Calls itself “pro-Israel, pro-peace.” Backs diplomacy and a two-state solution; sometimes supports candidates AIPAC opposes — the dovish counterweight in the pro-Israel world. |
PAC vs. super PAC, in one sentence: a traditional PAC gives money directly to candidates within federal limits; a super PAC spends unlimited amounts independently — ads and outreach it runs itself, without coordinating with any campaign.
The traditional pro-Israel PACs
Beyond the big five, a set of long-running PACs raises and bundles donations for pro-Israel candidates — mostly through direct contributions:
JAC (Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs). Active since 1981. Backs candidates who support the U.S.-Israel relationship and a progressive domestic agenda — reproductive rights, gun reform, church-state separation. Describes itself as bipartisan; most of its money goes to Democrats.
NORPAC. New Jersey-based, bipartisan. Raises funds for members of Congress who support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, and runs an annual mission to Washington. Sits on the more hawkish end of the pro-Israel spectrum.
JDCA (Jewish Democratic Council of America). Pro-Israel Democratic group backing Democratic candidates.
Smaller and regional pro-Israel PACs — Friends of Israel PAC, Pro-Israel America, U.S. Israel PAC, and others in the full list below — show up in individual candidates’ FEC filings in smaller amounts.
Every PAC in our data
Every pro-Israel PAC abbreviation that appears in our candidate money notes, with full names where documented. Name expansions for the smaller PACs follow TrackAIPAC’s published key of pro-Israel PACs.
| Abbr. | Full name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AIPAC | American Israel Public Affairs Committee (PAC) | The lobbying group's traditional PAC. Red on our cards. |
| UDP | United Democracy Project | AIPAC's super PAC. Purple on our cards. (Explainer) |
| DMFI | Democratic Majority for Israel (PAC) | Democratic establishment lane; founded 2019. |
| RJC | Republican Jewish Coalition (Victory Fund) | Republican lane; Victory Fund is the super PAC arm. |
| JSTREET | J Street PAC | Progressive / pro-peace lane. |
| JAC | Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs | Pro-Israel + progressive domestic agenda; active since 1981. |
| NORPAC | NORPAC (formerly North Jersey PAC) | Bipartisan; New Jersey-based. |
| JDCA | Jewish Democratic Council of America | Pro-Israel Democratic group. |
| PIA | Pro-Israel America PAC | Smaller pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| USI | U.S. Israel PAC | Smaller pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| FIPAC | Friends of Israel PAC | Smaller pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| AUSD | Americans United in Support of Democracy | Smaller pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| BICPAC | Because I Care PAC | Smaller pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| CAJD | California Jewish Democrats | Regional pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| GCSC | Grand Canyon State Caucus | Regional pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| LFAS | Louisianans for American Security PAC | Regional pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| MDACC | Maryland Association for Concerned Citizens PAC | Regional pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| MSTD | Mainstream Democrats PAC | Smaller pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| TPOH | To Protect Our Heritage PAC | Smaller pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| AGG | Americans for Good Government | Smaller pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| AMP | American Principles | Smaller pro-Israel PAC (name per TrackAIPAC). |
| Also appearing in FEC filings compiled by TrackAIPAC (independent public descriptions not verified; listed for completeness): BICOUNTY, CITY, CITYPAC, COPAC, DESERT, DJOPA, DVPAC, GFC, HAPAC, HEARTLAND, HVPAC, LIPAC, MMPAC, MOPAC, NACPAC, NATPAC, PHXED, SUNPAC, WAFI, WAPAC, BBF. | ||
Group descriptions draw on the groups’ own public statements, Wikipedia, and news reporting; smaller-PAC name expansions follow TrackAIPAC’s published key. Money figures on candidate cards come from FEC filings via FundVoter and TrackAIPAC. If we’ve mischaracterized a group, tell us and we’ll correct it.
Why this matters
“Pro-Israel money” isn’t one thing. AIPAC’s direct contributions (red), the multi-group totals (orange), the other PACs (yellow), and UDP’s independent expenditures (teal) are different vehicles, different lanes, and different legal mechanisms — and they don’t always pull in the same direction. J Street sometimes backs the candidates AIPAC opposes. DMFI polices Democrats from the center while JAC pulls from the progressive side. Lumping them together — or treating “no AIPAC money” as “no pro-Israel money” — misses how the ecosystem actually works.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a PAC and a super PAC?
A traditional PAC gives money directly to candidates, subject to federal contribution limits. A super PAC can raise and spend unlimited amounts, but only on independent expenditures — ads and outreach it runs itself, without coordinating with any campaign.
Is J Street anti-Israel?
No. J Street describes itself as pro-Israel and pro-peace, backing a two-state solution through diplomacy. It is criticized from the right as anti-Israel and from the left as too supportive of Israel.
Does a yellow label mean the candidate opposes AIPAC?
No. Yellow means no AIPAC-linked contributions were found in FEC records — the candidate received money from other pro-Israel PACs instead, like J Street, JAC, or DMFI.
Why are there so many different pro-Israel PACs?
The pro-Israel donor world is split by party and ideology: establishment vs. progressive, Democratic vs. Republican, hawkish vs. pro-diplomacy. Each lane has its own vehicles — which is why one candidate can show money from half a dozen different groups.
Key
Documented fact — sourced from FEC filings, official records, news reporting, or the group’s own public statements.
Their stated rationale — what the group itself says its reasons are; not our assessment of them.
PoliVion analysis — our read of what the documented facts add up to.
See the money on the cards
Browse all 470 races with every candidate’s pro-Israel funding, color-coded.
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