But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Mike Thompson
Thompson voted present on the July 2026 Massie amendment cutting Israel funding, saying it would defund efforts to protect civilians and promote peace. He calls Israel "our strongest ally" and backed the 2024 supplemental with $9.2 billion in humanitarian aid, including for Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
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Deep Dive
On the July 15, 2026 Massie amendment to eliminate Israel funding, Thompson voted present and said: "I cannot support this amendment because it is so poorly drafted and overly broad that it would defund our efforts to protect civilians and promote peace, taking us farther from our goals." In the same statement: "I continue to call for the protection of Palestinian civilians, a surge of humanitarian aid in Gaza, and a two-state solution to bring peace and self-determination to Israelis and Palestinians."
In 2024 he explained both of his supplemental votes. He voted no on H.R. 7217, the standalone Israel funding bill, saying he has been a strong supporter of Israel but the bill omitted humanitarian aid for Gaza and aid for Ukraine and Taiwan. He then supported the April 2024 package: "Israel is our strongest ally in the Middle East," noting it "provides $9.2 billion in humanitarian aid, including for Palestinian civilians in Gaza," and saying he has called on the Biden administration to ensure Israel follows international law and allows aid into Gaza.
In an August 7, 2025 video he said he was horrified by the starvation of two million civilians in Gaza and called for negotiated food deliveries, a bilateral ceasefire, the return of hostages, and progress toward a two-state solution; the video sits on Facebook and could not be checked against the page. In December 2024, Northern California constituents sued Thompson and Rep. Huffman over their votes for military aid packages to Israel, alleging moral and emotional distress.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 2 of 5 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 2 of 5 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.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- 2024-02-06 [Current position]: Voted no on H.R. 7217, standalone military funding for Israel; said he has "been a strong supporter of Israel" but opposed the bill for omitting humanitarian aid for Gaza plus Ukraine and Taiwan aid. Release. H.R. 7217 is also a recorded key vote badge; the card uses only his own characterization.
- 2024-04-20 [Current position; verified]: Supported the $95 billion supplemental. "Israel is our strongest ally in the Middle East." "This supplemental provides $9.2 billion in humanitarian aid, including for Palestinian civilians in Gaza." "I have called on the Biden Administration to ensure that Israel follows international law and takes steps to protect civilians and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza." Release.
- 2026-07-15 [Current position; verified; first search corrected]: Voted present on the Massie amendment (an initial search described this as "opposition"; the release shows a present vote). "I cannot support this amendment because it is so poorly drafted and overly broad that it would defund our efforts to protect civilians and promote peace, taking us farther from our goals." Release.
- Recorded key votes (H.R. 6126, H.R. 8034, H.R. 8369, H.R. 7217, NDAA FY26 missile-defense amendment) are badges and are not restated here.
Characterization of the conflict
- 2023-11-02 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Priorities were release of hostages held by Hamas and protecting Israel from missile attacks; argued a ceasefire without security guarantees would benefit Hamas; called for humanitarian pauses, corridors, and protection of civilians. Release.
- 2023-11-12 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Affirmed Israel's right to defend itself; Israel "must do so while prioritizing the safety of civilians"; called Hamas's use of human shields a war crime; no justification for attacking healthcare facilities. Release.
- 2025-08-07 [Current position; pending verification]: Video address: said he was horrified by the starvation of two million civilians in Gaza; called for negotiated safe delivery of food aid, a bilateral ceasefire, return of all hostages, and a two-state solution. Facebook video (opened at an initial search; would not open for direct reading).
- 2026-02-28 [Current position; attribution suspect]: Santa Rosa interview; reportedly called joint U.S.-Israel military actions against Iran "concerning" and said war powers rest with Congress. Only source is a YouTube video whose metadata does not name Thompson. Not verified, not used on the card.
Rhetoric and lobbying
- 2023-11-11 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Met in Napa with constituents urging an immediate ceasefire and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel; attendees reported confusion over his position on civilian harm. Davis Vanguard letter (constituent letter, not neutral reporting).
- 2024-12-19 [Current position]: Constituents filed a class-action suit against Thompson and Rep. Huffman alleging their votes for military aid to Israel caused moral and emotional distress. Times of Israel (2024-12-24); JNS (2025-01-02).
- His national defense issues page (2022-08-23) is general background.
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
- 2022-06-29 [Earlier record; multi-signer letter]: One of 92 members urging DHS action on antisemitic threats and hate crimes. Schneider release.
- 2023-10-27 [Months after October 7, 2023; multi-sponsor resolution]: Co-sponsored the resolution honoring Tree of Life victims and condemning antisemitic violence. Pressley release.
- 2024-01-30 [Current position; multi-signer letter]: Ways and Means letter to the FBI director on antisemitism investigations, tax-exempt universities, and terror financing. Letter PDF (does not name Thompson in source metadata; committee letter, signer list unverified).
- 2026-02-13 [Current position; source did not open]: Reportedly joined nearly 40 House Democrats against extremist rhetoric on official government accounts. Only source is a Facebook post (would not open) from Rep. Krishnamoorthi's account; no usable link, not used.
Also in this race
- ?Mixed Eric Jones (Democrat)
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