Republican challenger urges NY Democrat Pat Ryan to honor AIPAC refund pledge

Republican congressional aspirant Jackie Auringer has called on her opponent, Rep. Pat Ryan, to fulfill his commitment to give back money sourced from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Ryan broke with the Democratic majority earlier this month by voting to terminate all U.S. aid to Israel, labeling the assistance "wrong on every level" and pledging to return AIPAC contributions in a series of posts on X. His campaign spokesperson affirmed that all PAC contributions from AIPAC and any individual refunds requested have been returned, but did not disclose the exact figure.

An analysis estimates that the refunds could total more than $790,000, encompassing both direct AIPAC donations and those funneled through its donor portal. Despite the controversy, Ryan’s campaign finances dwarf Auringer’s, with over $3.1 million on hand compared with roughly $61,000 for the Republican. The Cook Political Report still rates the district as a solid Democratic seat. Auringer argues that Ryan’s shift on Israel policy betrays donors who expected unwavering support.