But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Zoe Lofgren
After the World Central Kitchen strike, Lofgren was among 40 House Democrats urging Biden in April 2024 to withhold pending offensive weapons transfers to Israel and condition future weapons assistance. In July 2025 she said "food should never be a weapon" and renewed her call for a two-state solution.
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You asked Zoe Lofgren where they stand.
Deep Dive
On April 5, 2024, after an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza, Lofgren was one of 40 House Democrats signing the Pocan-led letter asking President Biden and Secretary Blinken to "withhold pending offensive weapons transfers to Israel" and "place conditions on future weapons assistance" pending investigation and civilian protections; the letter itself names pending transfers including 2,000-pound bombs and F-35s. In October 2024 she signed a McGovern-led letter from 65 House Democrats urging the administration to press Israel to allow U.S. and international journalists unimpeded access into Gaza.
In March 2024 she said the Netanyahu government controls Gaza's entry points and called the threat of famine and the lack of humanitarian response "unconscionable". On July 26, 2025 she wrote "Food should never be a weapon" and "We must work towards a long-term, two-state solution that provides both security and recognition between Israel and Palestine." In July 2024 she skipped Netanyahu's address to Congress, saying it had become "political instead of productive," and met instead with families of Israeli hostages.
In the weeks after October 7, 2023 she said Israel was "viciously and brutally attacked by Hamas" and had the right to defend itself, called the rate of civilian deaths in Gaza "unacceptable", urged the Netanyahu government to "recalibrate its military strategy," and by January 24, 2024 called for a permanent negotiated ceasefire with a large increase in humanitarian aid.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 2 of 6 tracked votes · Cosponsors the Block the Bombs Act
• Vote record imported from official House Clerk roll calls for H.R. 6126, H.R. 8034, and H.R. 8369. Other position fields remain under investigation.
How this mark works
We track key votes on sending U.S. weapons and money to the government of Israel. A check means every tracked vote they cast came down against sending more, on the side of peace and de-escalation. A question mark means a mixed record: they sided with sending up to half of the time. An X means they voted to send more weapons and money in over half of their tracked votes, even as the way those weapons and dollars were being used became more and more obvious. At exactly half, money this election cycle from a lobbying group we track, or an endorsement from a group that backs sending weapons, makes it an X. Only votes actually cast are counted. Where a candidate has no recorded votes on these bills, the mark comes instead from a reviewed reading of their public record (money from the lobbying groups we track, endorsements, and their own words since January 26, 2024). There an X also covers fully backing the conduct of the war by the government of Israel without significant reservations, and a question mark also covers speaking about Israel without saying clearly where they stand on U.S. weapons and funding. A dash means No Position Found: we found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.
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Voted to send weapons or funding in some, but no more than half, of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 2 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
Checked the five lobbying groups we track; no direct 2026 support found
In their words
Research log
The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.
Identity: Zoe Lofgren (D), U.S. Representative CA-18, incumbent, 2026 candidate.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- 2023-11-03 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Press statement on the Jabalia refugee camp airstrikes: Israel has a right to defend itself; the rate of civilian deaths in Gaza was "unacceptable"; called on the Netanyahu government to "recalibrate its military strategy"; urged an immediate humanitarian pause. House release.
- 2024-04-05 [Current position; verified]: Signed the Pocan-led letter (40 House Democrats) to Biden and Blinken after the World Central Kitchen strike, asking them to "withhold pending offensive weapons transfers to Israel" and "place conditions on future weapons assistance" until a full investigation and civilian protections. Pocan release; letter PDF (names 2,000-pound bombs and F-35s; multi-signer document, Lofgren's signing verified via the Pocan release signer list).
Characterization of the conflict
- 2023-11-03 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Described the conflict as beginning when Israel was "viciously and brutally attacked by Hamas"; said fighting terrorism does not remove the obligation to abide by international law and avoid civilian casualties. House release.
- 2023-12-07 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Two-month statement: reiterated Israel's right to exist and defend itself against Hamas; said the destruction in Gaza and civilian casualties could not be condoned or continued. House release.
- 2024-01-24 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Called on Israel and Hamas to pursue terms for a permanent, negotiated ceasefire with a massive increase in humanitarian aid; condemned Netanyahu's opposition to a two-state solution and called a long-term two-state solution the only acceptable outcome. House release.
- 2024-03-03 [Current position]: Said the Netanyahu government controls entry points into Gaza; called the threat of impending famine and the lack of humanitarian response "unconscionable." House release.
- 2025-07-26 [Current position; verified]: "Food should never be a weapon." "We must work towards a long-term, two-state solution that provides both security and recognition between Israel and Palestine." House release.
Rhetoric and lobbying
- 2024-07-24 [Current position]: Did not attend Netanyahu's address to a joint session of Congress; said his speech had become "political instead of productive"; joined a colleagues' forum meeting families of Israeli hostages taken October 7. Legistorm copy of her release.
- 2024-10-21 [Current position]: Signed the McGovern-led letter (65 House Democrats per the release; an initial search said 64) urging the Biden administration to press Israel to grant unimpeded Gaza access to U.S. and international journalists. McGovern release. Multi-signer letter on another member's site; signer-list attribution, not re-verified.
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
- 2023-12-07 [Months after October 7, 2023]: "The rise of anti-Semitism is unacceptable and frightening"; added "the rise of Islamophobia is as well"; called for condemning both. House release.
- 2023-12-14 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Congressional Record statement on the House campus-antisemitism resolution: "deeply concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism on campuses"; called university presidents' December 5 testimony "wholly inadequate"; opposed the resolution itself as a "cynical political ploy" overreaching on congressional authority over higher-education hiring. House release.
Also in this race
- –No Position Found Shane Lewis (Republican)
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