IL-08
Illinois 8th Congressional District
Candidates
Shell PACs Deployed
Cross-deployed from IL-07 to run anti-Siddiqui ads focused on his business record and tax positions.
Cross-deployed from IL-07 to run anti-Siddiqui ads focused on his business record and tax positions.
Funded mailers boosting Fajardo's community engagement credentials.
Funded mailers boosting Fajardo's community engagement credentials.
Timeline
The Story
The Illinois 8th was one of AIPAC's most embarrassing defeats in the 2026 cycle. Despite pouring $4.1 million into the race through the same shell PAC network used across Illinois, UDP's preferred candidate Teresa Fajardo lost to Omar Siddiqui, who had explicitly campaigned on conditioning aid to Israel and supporting an arms embargo.
Siddiqui's win was powered by an energized grassroots coalition and late intervention from the counter-PAC that launched with $10 million specifically to fight AIPAC's influence in Democratic primaries. The race demonstrated that AIPAC's money, while formidable, is not invincible — particularly in districts with diverse, politically engaged electorates where voters resent outside interference.
The result was especially significant because Siddiqui did not shy away from the foreign policy debate. Unlike some candidates who tried to avoid the Israel question, he leaned into it, making AIPAC's spending itself a campaign issue. His 51.3% victory proved that transparency about who is funding your opponent can be a winning message.