But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Jim Desmond
Republican · U.S. House, California District 48
–No Position Found
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.
No recorded votes on the bills we track. We found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.
Desmond has taken no public position on U.S. military aid to the government of Israel or U.S. aid to Palestinians. At a July 2025 Dana Point event he stated support for Israel and Greece and opposed Turkey acquiring U.S. F-35 fighter jets.
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An initial search found no statement from Desmond on U.S. military aid funding levels or arms transfers to the government of Israel, and nothing on U.S. aid to Palestinians. His closest weapons statement is indirect: at a July 29, 2025 American Hellenic Council fundraiser in Dana Point, he answered a question on Turkey and the F-35 by "stating his support for Greece and Israel and opposition to Turkey acquiring the F-35s."
As a San Diego County supervisor, in October 2023 he held a press conference urging a shutdown of the U.S.-Mexico border to new migration, saying foreign fighters from the Israel-Hamas conflict could try to cross; a border expert quoted by KPBS called the plan "completely unhinged." In December 2023 he commended Hillel of San Diego, calling October 7 a "terrorist attack by Hamas" and "the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust."
In February 2024 he abstained from a Board of Supervisors vote to reappoint an imam to the county Human Relations Commission, saying he was uncomfortable with the appointment amid complaints of antisemitism about the commission's conduct (San Diego Jewish World, Times of San Diego).
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.
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
2025-07-29 [Current position; verified]: At an American Hellenic Council fundraiser in Dana Point, answered a question on Turkey and the F-35 by "stating his support for Greece and Israel and opposition to Turkey acquiring the F-35s." American Hellenic Council (published 2025-08-24; event date confirmed by the source). This concerns U.S. weapons to Turkey, not to Israel.
No other public position found on U.S. military aid funding levels or arms transfers to the government of Israel, and none on U.S. aid to Palestinians.
Characterization of the conflict
2023-10-26 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Framed the Israel-Hamas war in border-security terms, saying foreign fighters from the conflict could attempt to cross the southern border; held a press conference urging a border shutdown to new migration. KPBS (an expert quoted calls the plan "completely unhinged").
2023-12-05 [Months after October 7, 2023; date is an initial search’s inline date, source page undated]: Called October 7 a "terrorist attack by Hamas" with over 1,200 deaths, "the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust." Supervisor site.
Rhetoric and lobbying
2023-10-26 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Press conference linking a demanded U.S.-Mexico border shutdown to national security threats from the Israel-Hamas war. KPBS.
2025-07-29 [Current position; verified]: Engagement with American Hellenic Council leaders on Eastern Mediterranean issues; support for Israel and Greece against Turkish regional actions; expressed willingness to meet the Council after the election. American Hellenic Council.
Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)
2023-09-19 [Earlier record]: Supported county measures tied to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors' Resolution on Antisemitism (no person or group should face discrimination or violence based on identity). County letter PDF (document does not name Desmond on reading it; weak source, caution).
2023-12-05 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Issued a commendation recognizing Hillel of San Diego (CSU San Marcos chapter) for supporting Jewish students amid rising antisemitism after October 7. Supervisor site.
2024-02-06 [Current position]: Abstained from the Board of Supervisors vote to reappoint an imam to the county Human Relations Commission, saying he was uncomfortable with the appointment amid antisemitism complaints about the commission's conduct. San Diego Jewish World commentary (2024-02-06, opinion piece), Times of San Diego (2024-02-28).
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.
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