But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Democrat · U.S. House, California District 23
✓From their own words
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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No recorded votes on the bills we track. In their own words on June 2, 2026.

Hodge pledges to be a voice in Congress calling for an immediate ceasefire, to cease funding to Israel, and to eliminate anti-BDS legislation. Her campaign rejects AIPAC contributions; refusing a group's money is a separate act from her funding position.

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Deep Dive

On U.S. money to the government of Israel, Hodge's platform statement reads: "I will be a voice in Congress calling for an immediate ceasefire, to cease funding to Israel, and for the elimination of anti-BDS legislation" (BallotReady profile). Cutting funding to the government of Israel is her stated direction; an initial search found no separate statement from her on U.S. aid to Palestinians.

Voter-guide profiles are reported to add that she supports Palestinian statehood and has characterized Israel's military actions in Gaza as a genocide, but the pages carrying those items (a Local Candidates guide and the La Defensa primary guide) would not open, so they sit on the research page awaiting a working source.

Her campaign runs an ActBlue page framing her bid against AIPAC and its endorsement of incumbent Jay Obernolte. That is a statement about campaign money, recorded as rhetoric; her funding-cutoff pledge above is the policy position. No statements on antisemitism or Jewish community safety were found.

The money

Checked the five lobbying groups we track; no direct 2026 support found

2026 support from the five lobbying groups we track
Nothing recorded (as of 2026-07-23) from the five lobbying groups we track; earlier cycles and earmarked donations not yet tracked.
Support-only OpenFEC data. Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.
✓ Endorsed by Track AIPAC
Track AIPACA watchdog on AIPAC-linked money. It backs candidates who reject AIPAC support and call for an arms embargo and conditions on aid to the government of Israel.These endorsements come from groups that push to restrict or end U.S. weapons transfers to the government of Israel. Endorsements from these groups are shown for information; they do not decide the mark.

In their words

“I will be a voice in Congress calling for an immediate ceasefire, to cease funding to Israel, and for the elimination of anti-BDS legislation.”
Source ↗, 2026-06-02
Endorsements

Track AIPAC (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

  • Undated [Current position; anchored to the BallotReady profile's 2026-06-02 published date; verified]: "I will be a voice in Congress calling for an immediate ceasefire, to cease funding to Israel, and for the elimination of anti-BDS legislation." BallotReady. The same platform text is attributed to a Local Candidates voter guide whose page would not open; that copy is unlinked.

Characterization of the conflict

  • Undated [Band unknown; sources did not open]: Reported support for an immediate ceasefire and Palestinian statehood in voter-guide responses. Sources: Local Candidates guide (429), [La Defensa guide] (403). Unlinked; not used on the card.
  • Undated [Band unknown; source did not open]: Reported characterization of Israel's military actions in Gaza as a "genocide" in 2026 profile summaries. Only source is the La Defensa guide (403). Unlinked; not used on the card.

Rhetoric and lobbying

  • Undated [Current position; page undated]: ActBlue appeal rejecting AIPAC support and framing her run as a challenge to AIPAC-endorsed incumbent Jay Obernolte. ActBlue. Recorded as campaign-money rhetoric, not a weapons or funding position.
  • Undated: Anti-BDS-legislation elimination plank, part of the platform quote above. BallotReady.

Safety and antisemitism

  • Nothing found. No public statements, positions, or actions on antisemitism or Jewish community safety in any consulted source.

Background

Also in this race

  1. ✗ Jay Obernolte (Republican)

All California candidates.

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 Find Your Candidates for votes, funding and contact details.