But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Jay Obernolte
- Backed with $18K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC
An advocacy tracker lists Obernolte as a 2023 cosponsor of the U.S.-Israel Partnership and Abraham Accords Enhancement Act, which would authorize defense transfers to Israel. He belongs to the House Republican Israel Caucus. No statement on U.S. aid to Palestinians was found.
The email has replies@butwhatcanyoudo.org in cc, so we can post their answer on their page in their own words; remove it if you prefer. Keep the subject line as it is, add your name, and send.
You asked Jay Obernolte where they stand.
Deep Dive
On U.S. weapons to the government of Israel, Obernolte is listed by an advocacy tracker as a 2023 cosponsor of H.R. 3792, the U.S.-Israel Partnership and Abraham Accords Enhancement Act, a bill to expand security cooperation and authorize defense transfers to Israel; the cosponsorship could not be independently confirmed. On October 7, 2023 he is reported to have issued a statement supporting Israel and advocating U.S. aid to assist Israel; the only source is a constituent petition page, so it stays on the research page. His votes on Israel aid bills are recorded as badges. An initial search found no statement from him on U.S. aid to Palestinians.
On the conflict, the same tracker lists him as a cosponsor of H.Res. 771 (October 2023), reaffirming support for Israel's self-defense against Hamas. In December 2025 he is reported as a cosponsor of H.R. 176, the No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act; both sources for that item would not open. He is a member of the House Republican Israel Caucus.
On antisemitism, as context: in June 2024, as a Science Committee subcommittee chairman, he co-signed letters to five federal agencies asking whether universities receiving federal money were violating Title VI over unaddressed campus antisemitism. In February 2025 he cosponsored H.R. 1007, the Antisemitism Awareness Act, directing the Education Department to use the IHRA definition of antisemitism in Title VI complaints.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes
• 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.
See a dash? Ask the candidate where they stand, then send us their answer and we'll review it and update the mark. Or volunteer to help review candidates.
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
$18K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
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
- 2023 [Earlier record; year-only date taken from the text itself; advocacy-tracker source; pending verification]: Listed as cosponsor of H.R. 3792, the U.S.-Israel Partnership and Abraham Accords Enhancement Act (security cooperation, defense transfer authorization). Reverse Canary Mission. Attempts to open the tracker (drawn by the browser) and congress.gov could not confirm; rendered attributively on the card.
- 2023-10-07 [Months after October 7, 2023; weak source]: Reported statement supporting Israel and advocating U.S. aid to assist Israel; only source is a change.org petition by district residents (published 2023-10-29). Not used on the card.
- 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.
Characterization of the conflict
- 2023-10-11 [Months after October 7, 2023; advocacy-tracker source]: Listed as cosponsor of H.Res. 771 reaffirming support for Israel's self-defense against Hamas. Reverse Canary Mission.
- 2025-12-02 [Current position; sources did not open]: Reported cosponsor of H.R. 176, the No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act of 2025. Sources: legiscan (403), trackbill (403). Unlinked; not used on the card.
Rhetoric and lobbying
- Undated: Member of the House Republican Israel Caucus. obernolte.house.gov; also ciclt.net profile.
- Undated [weak source; not a personal position]: As Speaker pro tempore he issued parliamentary decorum rulings during floor debate touching the conflict; source is a janglo.net repost. Procedural chair duty, not his own stance; not used on the card.
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
- 2024-06-06 [Current position]: As Investigations and Oversight subcommittee chairman, co-signed letters to DOE, Commerce, NSF, EPA, and NASA on whether federally funded universities violated Title VI over campus antisemitism. science.house.gov.
- 2025-02-05 [Current position]: Cosponsored H.R. 1007, the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025 (IHRA definition for Title VI complaints). govinfo; Gottheimer release; legiscan copy would not open, unlinked.
Also in this race
- ✓Opposes Tessa Lynn Hodge (Democrat)
All California candidates.
See everyone on the California ballot →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.