Samantha Mota
Her platform includes ending U.S. aid to Israel, per the California DSA voter guide. Progressive voter guides for the June 2026 primary also listed her as backing a halt to U.S. arms transfers to Israel, a permanent ceasefire, and a platform describing the war in Gaza as genocide.
Samantha Mota, an organizer and former Santa Monica Public Safety Reform and Oversight commissioner, advanced from the June 2, 2026 primary to face incumbent Sydney Kamlager-Dove in CA-37, per Ballotpedia. The California DSA voter guide lists her platform planks as including "ending aid to Israel," alongside abolishing ICE and universal healthcare; the guide made no endorsement in the race.
Per the first search, progressive voter guides ahead of the primary cited her as supporting an immediate halt to U.S. arms transfers and military aid to Israel, an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, ending what her platform describes as the genocide in Gaza, and Palestinian freedom and self-determination. Those guide pages returned only partial text that did not reach her entry, so this wording rests on the first search and awaits a human check.
The first search also reported she signed the "Organize for Peace" pledge opposing all U.S. military aid to Israel and campaigns in opposition to AIPAC's influence; the page carrying the pledge listing does not name her on the page itself, so that item stays on the research page. No statements from her on antisemitism were found; her commission background is general public-safety work, not Jewish-community safety.
Research
Searched 2026-08-10. Democrat, CA-37 challenger. 11 source entries; localcandidates.org and kvue.com would not open; progressivecongress.net/top.html does not name her.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- Platform, undated pages, primary-season 2026 [current position]: "ending aid to Israel" listed among her platform planks in the California DSA voter guide (undated; June 2026 primary guide). Verified verbatim 2026-08-10 (sentence covers Mota, John Parker, and Juan Rey collectively).
- Inline June 2026, anchored to Knock LA guide published 2026-05-09 [current position]: cited as supporting an immediate halt to U.S. arms transfers and military aid to Israel. The page returned only partial text that did not reach her entry; pending a check.
- Inline August 2026 [current position; source names-candidate=false]: listed as having signed the "Organize for Peace" pledge opposing all U.S. military aid to Israel (progressivecongress.net/top.html); the page itself does not name her per the search notes, and a open of full.html truncated before California. Not card-usable.
Characterization of the conflict
- Platform planks, inline June 2026 [current position; pending verification]: immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza; ending what her platform describes as the genocide in Gaza; Palestinian freedom and self-determination (Knock LA, progressivecongress.net).
Rhetoric and lobbying
- Inline June-August 2026 [current position; pending verification]: campaign positioned in opposition to AIPAC and pro-Israel lobby influence on Middle East policy; endorsements and pledges from Progressive Voters Network and Organize for Peace (progressivecongress.net, California DSA).
Safety and antisemitism
- No statements found on antisemitism or Jewish community safety. [Nothing found]
- Context: appointed 2021 (inline January 2021; the Santa Monica press release is dated 2021-04-30, a conflict noted) to Santa Monica's Public Safety Reform & Oversight Commission; civilian oversight and police accountability. Out of scope for the card.
Identity
- 27-year-old activist and organizer; advanced from June 2, 2026 top-two primary (Ballotpedia, campaign About page; KVUE/AP [source did not open, 403]).
Also in this race: Sydney Kamlager-Dove (Democrat) · All California candidates.
See the full record →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 the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.