Ritesh Tandon
Tandon's campaign foreign-policy page condemns the October 7 Hamas attacks, calls for helping Israel defeat Hamas, and says he feels for innocent Palestinian casualties. Reported support for U.S. military aid to Israel at a February 2024 town hall could not be verified; see research.
Tandon's campaign foreign-policy page condemns the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in graphic terms and says the U.S. must help Israel get rid of Hamas and its supporters. The same page expresses feeling for innocent Palestinian casualties, calls the situation tragic, and says the only solution lies in the hearts of the two peoples.
In a candidate questionnaire on iVoterGuide he marked himself neutral on the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement targeting Israel, commenting that it is a complicated subject needing wider discussion. His campaign education page calls for stringent policies against antisemitism on college campuses; that is community-safety context, not a weapons or aid position.
Research
Identity: Ritesh Tandon (R), CA-17 candidate, advanced from the 2026-06-02 top-two primary. Ballotpedia primary page; JNS via whyisrael.org (2026-06-03; second place, 17.2%, in the primary).
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- 2024-02-19 [Current position; UNVERIFIED, misattribution-risk class]: The first search reports that at a CA-17 candidate town hall Tandon said "I support Israel" and expressed support for U.S. financial and military aid to Israel, contrasting with candidates who opposed or were unclear on foreign aid funding. Sources: a YouTube video (multi-candidate event, not text-verifiable, first search did not confirm it names Tandon) and the JNS article above, which on open contains nothing about the town hall or his positions. Not card-usable as fact; pending verification by a human viewing the video.
- Undated [candidate questionnaire]: Marked "Neutral" on the BDS movement targeting Israel: "This is a complicated subject and needs a wider discussion." iVoterGuide.
Characterization of the conflict
- Undated [campaign site; page's stored date 2022-04-21 predates the October 7, 2023 content it references; PENDING VERIFICATION, page requires JavaScript]: Foreign-policy platform condemning the October 7 attacks: "Israel is suffering! I ask myself what I would do if my wife or teenage daughter was gang-raped, butchered, and roasted alive. What would America have done if thousands of its innocent citizens were massacred in the same fashion? The answers are painful and horrifying. We must help Israel get rid of the hateful Hamas and its supporters." Also: "I feel for the innocent casualties of the Palestinian people. The situation is tragic, and the only solution lies in the hearts of the two peoples," and questions including "How can we convince Palestinians to stop teaching their kids to hate Jews..." Campaign foreign-policy page.
Rhetoric and lobbying
- Undated [candidate survey]: Criticized Rep. Ro Khanna over the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, claiming his opponent "favors radical Islamist." iVoterGuide. Attack rhetoric about an opponent, not an Israel-policy position.
- Undated [campaign site; pending verification as above]: Foreign-policy platform recommends U.S. policy based on "world peace, non-interference, human rights of freedom to choose, fair trade practices... and balanced world economies." Campaign foreign-policy page.
- No personal lobbying activity regarding Israel found.
- A localcandidates.org positions page would not open (unlinked).
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
- Undated [campaign site; page's stored date 2020-06-17 likely predates the content; not machine-verified]: Education platform on campus antisemitism: "To address and combat antisemitism and any hatred against any community in US colleges, it is imperative that we establish and enforce stringent policies that not only condemn such behaviors but also hold individuals accountable for their actions"; urges "immediate and decisive action, including disciplinary measures and, if necessary, legal consequences"; concludes that "through education, accountability, and a steadfast commitment to justice, we can eradicate antisemitism and create a more inclusive and respectful academic environment for everyone." Campaign education page.
Also in this race: Ro Khanna (Democrat) · All California candidates.
See the full record →But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.