AIPAC helps candidates who support its agenda and works against those who do not. Over three decades it helped defeat a number of politicians it considered unfriendly to Israel.

Paul Findley (R-IL) had served eleven terms in Congress. In 1982 wealthy Chicago businessman and former AIPAC President Robert Asher helped recruit and vet an Illinois attorney, Richard Durbin, to run against Findley. Durbin had never held elected office. Asher later said "I probed [Durbin] views... I wanted to make sure we were supporting someone who was not only against Paul Findley but also a friend of Israel. He beat Findley with a lot of help from Jews, in-state and out-of-state. Now, how did the Jewish money find him? I traveled around the country talking about how we had the opportunity to defeat someone unfriendly to Israel. And the gates opened." Asher sent a letter to donors calling the election the "best chance" to remove a "dangerous enemy of Israel" from Congress. Durbin received $104,325 from 31 different pro-Israel PACs. Other Illinois congressional candidates got about $3,700 on average from the same groups. Durbin narrowly beat Findley.

In 2002 Mayer "Bubba" Mitchell, a member of the Gang of Four that guides AIPAC policy making, used similar tactics to oust Congressman Earl Hilliard (D-AL). Hilliard opponent got financial help from AIPAC supporters across the country.

Charles Percy (R-IL) had a generally pro-Israel voting record. But he declined to sign AIPAC-sponsored "Letter of 76" protesting President Ford threatened reassessment of US Middle East policy in 1975. He also called PLO leader Yasser Arafat more "moderate" than some other Palestinian terrorists. Percy opponents in both primary and general election in 1984 got large sums from pro-Israel PACs. A businessman from California, Michael Goland, who was also a major contributor to AIPAC, spent $1.1 million on anti-Percy advertising in Illinois. Goland was later convicted of making illegal campaign contributions in 1986 California Senate race. Tom Dine of AIPAC boasted after Percy narrow defeat: "All the Jews in America, from coast to coast, gathered to oust Percy. And the American politicians—those who hold public positions now, and those who aspire—got the message."

Roger Jepson (R-IA) was targeted after he agreed to support the 1981 sale of AWACS aircraft to Saudi Arabia. This came after a personal plea from President Ronald Reagan. Jepson opponent in 1984 Senate race, Democrat Tom Harkin, received more than $100,000 in pro-Israel PAC money. Jepson lost his seat. Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA) later said Jepson fate "has sort of struck terror into the hearts of senators about switching" on Middle East votes.

Adlai Stevenson (D-IL) ran for governor of Illinois in 1982. He first ran afoul of pro-Israel groups in 1980 when he introduced an amendment to reduce foreign aid to Israel if it did not stop building settlements. The amendment was easily defeated, gaining only seven votes. One reluctant opponent, Senator Quentin Burdick (D-ND), told him "Sorry, Adlai, but I am up for reelection." When Stevenson ran for governor two years later campaign contributions dried up and went to his opponent. According to Stevenson he and his wife "were reviled as anti-Semitic. Some in the press turned hostile. Jewish Democratic Committeemen wilted under pressure." Stevenson was narrowly defeated. He later said "the lobby made the difference in that election many times over."

Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) was defeated in 2002 with AIPAC help. She returned to office in 2004 but was again defeated in 2006. Hank Johnson, her victorious opponent in 2006 Democratic primary, received at least $34,000 from seven pro-Israel PACs.

Source: The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy