But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
David G. Valadao
- Backed with $38K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC +1 more
- Sits on House Appropriations
Valadao said in April 2024 that supporting allies with weapons now is key to keeping Americans out of another ground war, backing the package that sent weapons funding to Israel. In November 2023 he called emergency U.S. military support critical for Israel.
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You asked David G. Valadao where they stand.
Deep Dive
On U.S. weapons and money to the government of Israel, Valadao wrote in an April 2024 newsletter: "I believe supporting our allies with weapons now is key to keeping American men and women out of another ground war," and said the national security supplemental replenishes U.S. stockpiles, requires greater oversight of aid, and ensures allies can counter terror. On November 3, 2023 he said emergency U.S. military support is critical for our ally Israel as it defends its right to exist. On October 10, 2023 he called on Congress to provide Israel security resources in line with the 2016 U.S.-Israel memorandum of understanding, and co-introduced a resolution with Rep. McCaul backing Israel's self-defense and urging enforcement of the Taylor Force Act, which blocks certain U.S. assistance that could benefit terrorist organizations.
On the conflict, he called the Hamas attack unprovoked and barbaric in October 2023, and in April 2024 criticized the Biden administration's approach to Iran after Iranian drone and missile attacks on Israel. A two-year-anniversary post in October 2025 commemorating the attack is reported from a Facebook post whose link would not open.
After his Hanford district office was vandalized by anti-Israel demonstrators in late November 2023, he said he would not be intimidated and that the incident would not change his support for Israel. In the same period he condemned antisemitic intimidation on campuses and said America must support Israel and Jewish people at home and abroad.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes
House Committee on Appropriations
• Voted Yes on all four tracked House Israel-aid floor measures in the 118th Congress: H.R. 6126 (Nov. 2, 2023), H.R. 7217 (Feb. 6, 2024), H.R. 8034 (Apr. 20, 2024) and H.R. 8369 (May 16, 2024).
• Cosponsor of H.R. 1229, the United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025, which formalizes and expands bilateral U.S.-Israel defense cooperation; not a sponsor of H.R. 3565, the Block the Bombs Act.
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 more than half of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$38K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
AIPAC (2026 endorsement) · Republican Jewish Coalition (2026 endorsement)
Research log
The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- 2023-10-10 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Called on Congress to act swiftly on security resources for Israel, citing the 2016 U.S.-Israel memorandum of understanding. Release.
- 2023-11-03 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Said emergency U.S. military support is "critical for our ally Israel as they defend their right to exist." Release.
- 2024-04-20 [Current position; verified; quote sits in an undated newsletter, date anchored to the April 20, 2024 companion release]: "I believe supporting our allies with weapons now is key to keeping American men and women out of another ground war." Newsletter; April 20, 2024 release confirms his supplemental support the same weekend.
- Recorded key votes (H.R. 6126, H.R. 7217, H.R. 8034, H.R. 8369, NDAA FY26 missile-defense amendment, H.R. 8595) are badges and are not restated here; the record also carries his H.R. 1229 cosponsorship.
Characterization of the conflict
- 2023-10-10 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Called the Hamas assault "unprovoked" and "barbaric," Israel a "Democratic Jewish State" and "our strongest ally in the Middle East." Release.
- 2023-11-03 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Described the conflict as Israel defending itself against "barbaric attacks carried out by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists." Release.
- 2024-04-18 [Current position]: After Iranian drone and missile attacks on Israel, criticized the Biden administration's "strategy of appeasement toward Iran." Release.
- 2025-10-07 [Current position; source did not open, Facebook]: Two-year anniversary post commemorating the "brutal October 7th terrorist attack by Hamas," with prayers for hostages. Not linked; not used on the card.
Rhetoric and lobbying
- 2023-10-10 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Co-introduced a bipartisan resolution with Chairman McCaul reaffirming Israel's right to self-defense and urging enforcement of the Taylor Force Act against U.S. assistance benefiting terrorist organizations. Release.
- 2023-11-27 to 2023-11-29 [Months after October 7, 2023]: After anti-Israel demonstrators vandalized his Hanford office, said he would "not be intimidated by vandalism or threats of violence" and that the incident would not change his support for Israel; added that "if these protesters truly cared about Palestinian children they would also support the eradication of Hamas terrorists." Times Now; Facebook video.
- Lobbying: no record of personal lobbying activity outside official statements and cosponsorships. Newsletter archive.
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
- 2023-11-03 [Months after October 7, 2023]: "America must send a clear message that we support Israel and Jewish people here at home and abroad"; condemned antisemitic intimidation of Jewish students, faculty, and staff on campuses. Release; newsletter.
- 2023-11-27 to 2023-11-29 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Described the office vandalism on national news as antisemitic intimidation tied to a nationwide rise in antisemitic hostility. Newsletter; YouTube.
Other sources found
Also in this race
- ✓Opposes Randy Villegas (Democrat)
All California candidates.
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