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

Bob Smith

Republican · U.S. House, California District 24
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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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Two reviewers, reading the public record as a whole, agree: Answering a June 2026 voter-guide question, he calls Israel "a critical ally in a volatile region" that shares democratic values with the United States, without saying where he stands on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Reviewed by hand on 2026-10-09. This candidate has no recorded tracked floor votes.

Has not stated a position on U.S. military aid to Israel or aid to Palestinians. In an iVoterGuide questionnaire for the June 2026 primary he called Israel a critical ally in a volatile region whose partnership enhances security and regional stability.

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Deep Dive

Smith, a retired Navy commander and defense systems engineer running in CA-24, has no public record on U.S. military aid, arms sales, or weapons transfers to the government of Israel, and none on U.S. aid to Palestinians. His campaign materials cite a 26-year background in Navy defense acquisition and weapons systems development without addressing foreign defense aid policy.

In an iVoterGuide questionnaire for the June 2, 2026 primary he wrote: "Israel is a critical ally in a volatile region and shares democratic values with the United States," and "Our partnership enhances security, intelligence cooperation, and regional stability." In the same survey he called violent Islamist extremism a serious threat to U.S. and global security and named Iran as a state actor enabling terrorism through proxy networks.

No statements on antisemitism or Jewish community safety were found, and no Israel-related lobbying activity or rhetoric beyond the questionnaire.

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.

In their words

“Israel is a critical ally in a volatile region and shares democratic values with the United States.”
Source ↗, 2026-06-02

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

Characterization of the conflict

  • 2025 [Current position; year-only date taken from the text itself; questionnaire for the June 2, 2026 primary; the profile page is undated; verified]: "Israel is a critical ally in a volatile region and shares democratic values with the United States." "Our partnership enhances security, intelligence cooperation, and regional stability." Also noted the alliance supports long-term peace and security for the region. iVoterGuide.
  • Same survey [Current position]: "Violent Islamist extremism remains a serious threat to U.S. and global security, including groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda"; named Iran as a state actor supporting terrorism through proxies. iVoterGuide.

Rhetoric and lobbying

  • Nothing found beyond the questionnaire positions above.

Safety and antisemitism

  • Nothing found. No statements, position papers, or campaign actions on antisemitism or Jewish community safety.

Background and identity

  • Cmdr. Robert "Bob" J. Smith, USN Ret., of Carpinteria; 26-year Navy defense acquisition background; advanced from the June 2, 2026 top-two primary to face Rep. Carbajal. KEYT; Ballotpedia; disambiguation page Ballotpedia Bob Smith; county party candidate list (2025-08-22). AP primary result via kvue.com would not open; unlinked. A Local Candidates profile would not open; unlinked.

Also in this race

  1. ? Salud O. Carbajal (Democrat)

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.