But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Mark Takano
Takano applauded President Biden's decision to withhold weapons from the Netanyahu-led Israeli government if Rafah were fully invaded, and joined an April 2024 statement opposing offensive arms for Israel while supporting defensive systems. In November 2023 he backed military aid for Israel's defense alongside humanitarian aid for Palestinians.
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Deep Dive
On May 9, 2024, Takano said: "I applaud President Biden's decision to protect civilians and hostages by withholding weapons from the Netanyahu-led Israeli government if they follow through with a full ground invasion of Rafah." On April 20, 2024, he joined nearly 20 House members in a joint statement opposing the offensive weapons provisions of H.R. 8034, arguing further offensive military aid risked making the U.S. complicit in civilian deaths in Rafah, while reaffirming support for defensive systems like Iron Dome. He voted against that bill. Earlier, on November 2, 2023, he supported military aid for Israel's defense and degrading Hamas's capabilities, paired with humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians.
On December 8, 2023, he called for a bilateral ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saying the conflict had shown there is no military solution, and restated support for a two-state solution. On January 19, 2024, he denounced Prime Minister Netanyahu's rejection of a two-state solution. After a February 2024 congressional delegation trip to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, he co-signed a delegation statement expressing grave concern that Netanyahu was steering toward total destruction of Gaza with utter disregard for Palestinian lives. On January 15, 2025, he welcomed the Gaza ceasefire deal.
On July 23, 2024, he declined to attend Netanyahu's joint address to Congress, saying Netanyahu "has consistently demonstrated that he is an obstacle to the peace that both Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve." As history: after Netanyahu's 2015 speech to Congress, he supported U.S. security commitments to Israel and urged diplomacy with Iran.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 1 of 6 tracked votes · Cosponsors the Block the Bombs Act
• 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.
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Voted to send weapons or funding in some, but no more than half, of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 1 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
Checked the five lobbying groups we track; no direct 2026 support found
In their words
Research log
The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.
Searched 2026-08-10 for: Takano antisemitism Jewish community safety; Takano AIPAC Netanyahu lobbying; Takano Israel military aid weapons conditions; Takano Israel Gaza ceasefire 2023 2024). Recorded key votes are badges; H.R. 8034 vote is characterized because Takano co-signed a statement about it.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- 2023-11-02 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Statement on the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act: supported military aid for Israel's defense and degrading Hamas's capabilities; said military assistance must be paired with strong humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians. Release.
- 2024-04-20 [Current position; multi-signer document]: Joint statement with roughly 20 progressive members opposing offensive-weapons provisions of H.R. 8034; argued further offensive military aid risks U.S. complicity in civilian deaths in Rafah; reaffirmed support for defensive systems like Iron Dome. Words belong to the joint statement, not Takano alone. Joint release.
- 2024-05-09 [Current position; verified against source]: "I applaud President Biden's decision to protect civilians and hostages by withholding weapons from the Netanyahu-led Israeli government if they follow through with a full ground invasion of Rafah." Also: an IDF operation in a city housing more than 1 million civilians "would make it even worse." Release.
Characterization of the conflict
- 2023-11-02 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Called Hamas's October 7 attack "barbarous"; acknowledged Israel's right to defend itself; warned a prolonged ground invasion without humanitarian safeguards would breed further extremism; urged Israel to abide by international law. Release.
- 2023-12-08 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Called for a bilateral ceasefire between Israel and Hamas; said the conflict proved "there is no military solution" (not independently verified); reiterated two-state support. Release.
- 2024-01-19 [Current position]: Denounced Netanyahu's public rejection of a two-state solution; said it jeopardizes regional security and runs contrary to long-standing U.S. policy. Release.
- 2024-02-29 [Current position; multi-signer codel statement, quotes not independently verified]: Co-authored delegation statement after trip to Israel and the Palestinian Territories: grave concern Netanyahu was steering toward the "total destruction of Gaza" with "utter disregard for Palestinian lives." Delegation statement.
- 2025-01-15 [Current position]: Welcomed the prospective Gaza ceasefire deal; hoped it would end 15 months of bloodshed and open a diplomatic path to lasting stability. Release.
Rhetoric and lobbying
- 2015-03-03 [Earlier record]: After Netanyahu's speech to a joint session, supported U.S. security commitments to Israel and continued diplomacy with Iran over escalating military rhetoric. Release.
- 2024-07-23 [Current position; verified against source]: Boycotted Netanyahu's joint address: "Mr. Netanyahu has consistently demonstrated that he is an obstacle to the peace that both Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve"; criticized House GOP leadership for organizing the address to create division. Release.
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
- 2017-08-01 [Earlier record]: Condemned antisemitic remarks in a sermon at the Islamic Center of Riverside; said inflammatory rhetoric undermines interfaith trust. Release.
- 2024-04-17 [Current position; the date comes from the text itself; video sources undated]: At an Education and Workforce hearing on campus antisemitism, raised protecting all students from hate, addressing antisemitism and Islamophobia; accused GOP committee leaders of staging "public theater out of legitimate pain" (not independently verified). Video 1, Video 2.
Also in this race
- –No Position Found Steve Manos (Republican)
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