A CNN panel circled the wagons around the Israel lobby after Thomas Massie lost the most expensive House primary in US history to an AIPAC-backed opponent, which is bad news for politicians who want to criticize Israel funding without being labeled antisemitic.

• Thomas Massie, a deficit hawk who opposed funding Israel's wars, lost his Kentucky primary to Ed Gallrein after the Israel lobby poured record money into the race.
• CNN panelists lumped Massie's criticism together with a Texas Democrat's openly antisemitic posts to make any mention of AIPAC look like Jew-hating.
• One panelist on the show admitted he has worked with AIPAC, and another is currently running ads in Texas races.
• AIPAC is now hiding behind new vehicles like the Better Blue Fund because Democratic voters increasingly see direct AIPAC money as toxic.
• Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro defended the lobby and suggested criticism of AIPAC bleeds into attacks on Jewish donors.

Outlook: Expect more disguised pro-Israel spending in Democratic primaries as voters push back, and more media efforts to frame any criticism of the lobby as antisemitism.