A fiercely contested Democratic primary in Chicago delivered a surprising outcome Tuesday, as City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin failed to secure the House seat despite a massive financial push. The defeat marks a significant setback for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which invested heavily in her campaign.
State Representative LaShawn Ford emerged victorious from a crowded field of thirteen candidates, weathering a relentless barrage of attack ads largely funded by the cryptocurrency industry. Ford’s campaign benefited from the endorsement of long-serving Representative Danny Davis, a fixture in the district for nearly three decades.
AIPAC and its affiliated groups poured over $5 million into supporting Conyears-Ervin, a substantial sum intended to propel her to victory. She also enjoyed the backing of the city’s powerful teachers’ unions and, surprisingly, the cryptocurrency industry, creating an unusual coalition.
Ford now faces a general election in a district overwhelmingly tilted towards the Democratic party. Recent voting patterns demonstrate a strong preference for Democratic candidates; former Vice President Kamala Harris secured over 80% of the vote there in 2024, with Black Americans forming a significant portion of the electorate.
This wasn’t Conyears-Ervin’s first attempt at unseating Davis, having previously challenged him in a 2024 primary. That earlier campaign was shadowed by allegations of misusing city funds and retaliating against those who raised concerns, ultimately resulting in a $30,000 fine levied by a city ethics panel.
The race was a true free-for-all, with eleven other Democrats vying for the opportunity to succeed Davis. Real estate developer Jason Friedman, despite significantly outraising other candidates, failed to gain substantial traction, even as AIPAC targeted his campaign with negative advertising.
Progressive activist Kina Collins and several other candidates representing the party’s left wing appeared to divide the vote among progressive voters. This fragmentation may have contributed to Ford’s ultimate success in a crowded primary.
AIPAC’s involvement in 2026 primaries has yielded mixed results thus far. While they successfully blocked a comeback attempt by former Representative Tom Malinowski in New Jersey, a candidate with strongly critical views on Israel narrowly won a separate primary in the same state.
That New Jersey candidate, Analilia Mejia, enjoys endorsements from prominent figures like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and is widely expected to win the general election. AIPAC also spent considerable resources opposing other Illinois Democrats critical of Israel, including media personality Kat Abughzaleh.
Conyears-Ervin’s tenure as Chicago City Treasurer, beginning in 2019, coincided with a period of significant fiscal challenges for the city. In February, two rating agencies downgraded Chicago’s credit rating, citing substantial budget deficits and ongoing financial instability.
