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

Armen Kurdian

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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.

See a dash? Ask the candidate where they stand, then send us their answer and we'll review it and update the mark. Or volunteer to help review candidates.

No recorded votes on the bills we track. We found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.

Kurdian has no stated position on U.S. military aid to the government of Israel or U.S. aid to Palestinians, and left unanswered a 2026 questionnaire question on the U.S.-Israel relationship. His TV commentary as a retired Navy captain covered the 2023 emergency transfer of tank shells to Israel.

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Your record on weapons and funding for the government of Israel [ref: ca49-kurdian]

Dear Armen Kurdian,

You're asking for my vote, and there is one question I can't find your answer to: should the United States keep sending weapons and funding to the government of Israel?

Your campaign hasn't said where you stand, and for many voters in this race it decides the vote. A short answer would help: will you vote against further weapons and funding for the government of Israel, or for enforceable conditions on that support?

I may share your answer publicly so other voters can see it.

Respectfully,
[Your name]

Website ↗X ↗Facebook ↗

Deep Dive

Kurdian, a retired Navy captain, appears often as a military analyst on NewsNation, NTD, and Fox 5, but an initial search found no campaign policy position from him on U.S. military aid or weapons to the government of Israel, or on U.S. aid to Palestinians. On his 2026 iVoterGuide questionnaire he did not answer the question "Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?"

His analyst commentary touches the aid pipeline directly once: in December 2023 he discussed on NewsNation the Biden administration's emergency authority bypassing congressional review to provide 14,000 tank shells to Israel, assessing how the aid supported Israeli operations against Hamas (clip, undated video). In April 2024 he said "only the US can take out Iran's nuclear facilities" during Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.

On the conflict itself he has said, as an analyst, that a lasting-peace plan for Gaza "cannot have Hamas anywhere within the equation" (February 2025) and that lasting peace depends on cutting off funding to Hamas (October 2025). These are broadcast analyses, not campaign pledges; the distinction is kept on the research page.

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

2023-12-11 [Months after October 7, 2023; analyst commentary, not a campaign position; video undated, we could not confirm his name]: On NewsNation Live, discussed the Biden administration's emergency authority to bypass congressional review and provide 14,000 tank shells to Israel, evaluating how the aid supported Israeli operations against Hamas. YouTube.
2024-04-21 [Current position; analyst commentary]: On NewsNation Prime, on Israeli strikes against Iranian targets: Israel was keeping focus on Iran's nuclear infrastructure; "only the US can take out Iran's nuclear facilities." NewsNation Facebook video (the page opened), YouTube (undated, name not confirmed on the page).
No campaign policy position found on aid or arms transfers to the government of Israel, or on U.S. aid to Palestinians.

Characterization of the conflict

All items below are broadcast analyst commentary, not campaign positions. Most video sources are undated; dates are an initial search’s inline dates.

2023-10-09 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Commentary on Israel's declaration of war after October 7. YouTube (name not confirmed on the page).
2023-11-13 [Months after October 7, 2023]: On hostage negotiations: international partners must apply diplomatic pressure on Arab nations holding sway over Hamas. YouTube (name unconfirmed).
2024-01-24 [Months after October 7, 2023]: Explained Hamas's refusal of temporary ceasefire proposals given Israel's stated objective to enter Gaza and eliminate the group. YouTube (name unconfirmed).
2025-02-09 [Current position]: "Any plan for the future of Gaza that is going to be a lasting peace cannot have Hamas anywhere within the equation." YouTube (name unconfirmed), NewsNation Facebook video (the page opened; this Facebook video is about the May 2025 Alexander release, so the pairing of sources to this quote is loose).
2025-05-11 [Current position]: Analysis of Hamas statements on the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander. NewsNation Facebook video.
2025-10-06 [Current position]: On NTD, warned Hamas might exploit political weakness or domestic pressure in negotiations. NTD.
2025-10-08 [Current position]: To Fox 5 DC: parties "closer than ever" to progress; lasting peace depends on cutting off funding to Hamas and sustained international pressure. Fox 5 DC video (page undated).
2026-03-05 [Current position]: On NTD, analyzed military timelines and strategic factors in the regional conflict involving Iran. YouTube (name unconfirmed).

Rhetoric and lobbying

No record of positions on Israel-related lobbying or advocacy organizations (AIPAC, J Street, or others).
2026 (undated questionnaire) [Current position; verified]: Left unanswered the iVoterGuide question "Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?" iVoterGuide.

Safety and antisemitism

No documented statements, platform positions, or actions on domestic antisemitism or Jewish community safety. Question came back empty.

Candidacy confirmation sources

Campaign site; Ballotpedia (will not open for us; the page opened at first search). Advanced from the June 2, 2026 top-two primary to face incumbent Mike Levin.

Also in this race

✗ Mike Levin (Democrat)

All California candidates.