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

Cristian Morales

Republican · U.S. House, California District 43
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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 "our closest ally in the middle-east", 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.

Morales has taken no position on U.S. weapons or money to the government of Israel, or on U.S. aid to Palestinians. In a 2026 survey he called Israel "our closest ally in the middle-east," and his Ballotpedia statement praises unconditional support of Israel and the Jewish people.

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Deep Dive

We found no statement from Cristian Morales, the Republican challenging Rep. Maxine Waters in CA-43, on U.S. military aid, arms sales, or money to the government of Israel, and none on U.S. aid to Palestinians.

What exists is general alliance language from the 2026 cycle. In his iVoterGuide questionnaire for the June 2026 primary he answered "Yes, because they are our closest ally in the middle-east" on the importance of the U.S. relationship with Israel, and strongly agreed that "Islamic terrorism is a threat to the United States' national security." His Ballotpedia campaign statement says the United States shares common values in recognizing and supporting Israel's very existence and praises unconditional support of Israel and the Jewish people; Ballotpedia could not be opened here, so those lines are pending verification.

His Ballotpedia statement also says that with antisemitism continually present and growing, he believes fostering relationships with the Guatemalan people who support the Jewish people and Israel is paramount. That is solidarity context, not a weapons or funding position.

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.

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: Morales "Israel"; Morales Republican CA-43 policy positions). Two of four questions effectively empty. All items are undated candidate-profile content from the 2026 cycle; band assignment is by cycle.

U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel

  • No statements or positions on U.S. military aid, arms sales, or weapons transfers to Israel, and none on U.S. aid to Palestinians. [Nothing found]
  • Undated, 2026 cycle [Current position, dated by election cycle; verified against source 2026-08-10]: iVoterGuide answer on the U.S.-Israel relationship: "Yes, because they are our closest ally in the middle-east." Survey.

Characterization of the conflict

  • Undated, 2026 cycle [Current position, dated by election cycle; Ballotpedia will not open, pending verification]: Campaign profile statement: U.S. shares "common values in recognizing and supporting Israel's very existence"; praises "unconditional support of Israel and the Jewish people." Ballotpedia.
  • Undated, 2026 cycle [Current position, dated by election cycle; verified]: Strongly agreed that "Islamic terrorism is a threat to the United States' national security." Survey.
  • No commentary on Gaza operations or West Bank policy. [Nothing found]

Rhetoric and lobbying

  • Nothing on record regarding AIPAC, PACs, or Israel-related lobbying. [Nothing found]

Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)

  • Undated, 2026 cycle [Current position, dated by election cycle; Ballotpedia will not open, pending verification]: "With anti-Semitism continually present and growing I believe fostering and reinforcing those relationships and friendships with the Guatemalan people that support the Jewish people and Israel is paramount." Ballotpedia. No other safety or antisemitism proposals found.

Identity sources

  • Ballotpedia: Republican, CA-43, advanced from the June 2, 2026 top-two primary to face incumbent Maxine Waters on November 3, 2026.

Also in this race

  1. ? Maxine Waters (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.