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FACING THE HEAT

Track AIPAC under fire as Democrats condemn its extremist Texas pick

The anti-Israel account rescinded its endorsement of Maureen Galindo, who called to imprison Zionists, after a groundswell of Dem condemnation

Katina Zentz/San Antonio Express-News via Getty Images

Maureen Galindo, left, and Johnny Garcia, right, participate in a TX-35 forum in San Antonio on May 6, 2026.

Track AIPAC, the social media account that has gained a growing audience among anti-Israel activists in recent years, found itself in an embarrassing position this week when a candidate it had championed for Congress faced bipartisan backlash over extreme antisemitic comments calling to imprison and castrate “American Zionists,” whom she accused of pedophilia.

In a lengthy statement posted to X on Tuesday, the account said it was “aware of incendiary statements and troubling behavior” by Maureen Galindo, a San Antonio activist competing for an open swing seat in Texas next week against a pro-Israel Democrat whom national party leaders view as their best chance to flip the newly drawn House district in the general election.

While the account, which runs an affiliated super PAC, qualified its response with the added caveat that it “stands firmly on the side of free expression,” it informed its nearly 500,000 followers that it was “immediately revoking” its endorsement of Galindo, whom it had helped raise funds for through an online portal, and encouraged others “to follow suit.”

“Calls for cruel and unusual punishment,” Track AIPAC wrote, “are fundamentally in opposition to our organization’s commitment to justice and due process.”

Still, the point at which Track AIPAC finally chose to draw a line over Galindo’s rhetoric underscored how the account’s ostensibly narrow focus on opposition to what it calls the “Israel lobby” has often obscured an indulgence of extreme views and positions. 

Galindo, who narrowly finished in first in the March primary, rose to prominence with a stream of unhinged videos promoting conspiracy theories about Jews and Israel. 

Well before calling to imprison Zionists, for example, she had said Jews “own Hollywood” and “worship the synagogue of Satan,” while claiming that “billionaire Zionists and their puppet journalists are FAKE Jews who create antisemitism to harm and harvest off the real Jews,” among several other incendiary remarks Track AIPAC apparently did not find disqualifying.

Those who have taken issue with the account — which has also faced criticism for using antisemitic language in its fierce opposition to AIPAC and calls for the group to register as a foreign agent — were quick to detect a lack of sincerity in its decision to rescind support for Galindo.

The about-face raises questions about Track AIPAC’s judgement and vetting process, adding to widespread criticism related to its methodology for scoring candidates and elected officials who have taken donations from a range of disparate Israel advocacy groups like J Street, AIPAC and Democratic Majority for Israel, a broad category critics have dismissed as selective and sloppy.

The account, which has backed several candidates through its political arm, Citizens Against AIPAC Corruption, has at times included contributions from individual lobby donors, fueling accusations that it is simply singling out Jewish political spending without making clearer distinctions among pro-Israel groups.

Brian Romick, the president of DMFI PAC, which is backing Galindo’s runoff opponent, Johnny Garcia, argued that “Track AIPAC embodies the very-online activist fringe: large social-media following, minimal real-world influence, and a political strategy based on vibes.”

While Galindo is likely the most extreme candidate Track AIPAC has endorsed this election cycle, it has backed others who have used inflammatory rhetoric while speaking about Israel, including Chris Rabb, a Democratic state legislator in Pennsylvania who recently claimed the nomination after sharing an Instagram post blaming the massacre of Jewish Australians at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on “Zionists.” 

Track AIPAC was co-founded by Casey Kennedy and Cory Archibald, a former campaign staffer for several anti-Israel Squad members who has described herself as a Marxist and reportedly resides in Germany. The account, which launched in 2024, has claimed a level of growing vitality among far-left audiences due to its eye-catching scorecards posted to social media. Its super PAC, however, reported only $265,000 cash on hand at the end of March, far outnumbered by AIPAC itself. 

The group has endorsed around 80 candidates for House and Senate this election cycle, most notably Graham Platner and Abdul El-Sayed, now running for Senate seats in Maine and Michigan, respectively.  

Even as Galindo’s comments drew fierce blowback from some high-profile figures on the left, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Track AIPAC largely eluded serious scrutiny in progressive circles. In a testament to the extremist views of its followers, the account faced criticism from anti-Zionist X users who accused Track AIPAC of abandoning its values in pulling support for the antisemitic House candidate. 

Jewish Insider contacted several candidates backed by Track AIPAC asking if they were still comfortable receiving support from the account after the Galindo episode, and only one responded. 

Chuck Park, a Democrat challenging Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) in New York City, said “Galindo’s antisemitic comments are reprehensible,” while adding, “I agree with their decision to rescind the endorsement.”

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), a progressive critic of Israel, has interacted cordially with Track AIPAC but is not endorsed by the account, which encourages him “to continue improving” his record “on Israel-Palestine issues.” 

In a statement to JI, Khanna appeared to distance himself from Track AIPAC without directly referring to the account. “What Galindo said was hateful and disgusting,” he said. “Antisemitism has no place in the Democratic party or America. There is a reason I never supported Galindo, and no one should endorse her.”

Track AIPAC did not respond to a request for comment. 

Joel Rubin, a progressive strategist who has warned that the far left is alienating Jewish Democrats with incendiary rhetoric about Israel, said he believed that Track AIPAC’s decision to rescind its endorsement of Galindo did not go “far enough,” saying the account “should be calling for her to immediately withdraw from the race.”

“For Track AIPAC, this does demonstrate the hostility they have to the Jewish community and Israel,” he told JI on Wednesday. “They were so gleefully supporting someone like this when they knew very well how hateful and racist she was.”

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