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

Steve Cohen

Republican · U.S. House, California District 50
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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.

Cohen has not spoken publicly on U.S. military aid to the government of Israel, U.S. aid to Palestinians, or the conflict; no statements were found in source-checked research. His campaign focuses on local economic policy, prescription costs, Social Security and Medicare, and fiscal accountability.

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Deep Dive

Steve Cohen of CA-50 is a retired San Diego broadcast journalist, news director at KUSI-TV for 20 years, who announced his House campaign on March 12, 2026 and advanced from the June 2, 2026 primary to face incumbent Scott Peters. He is not U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN).

An initial search found no public record, from his 2026 campaign or his broadcast career, of statements or actions on U.S. military aid or weapons transfers to the government of Israel, on U.S. aid to Palestinians, on characterizing the conflict, on Israel-related lobbying or advocacy groups, or on antisemitism and Jewish community safety. His campaign site centers on local economic policy, lower prescription costs, defense of Social Security and Medicare, and fiscal accountability.

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

  • Empty. No public record of personal statements or actions on U.S. military aid or weapons transfers to the government of Israel, campaign or prior broadcast career.

Characterization of the conflict

  • Empty. No public record.

Rhetoric and lobbying

  • Empty. No public record of engagement with Israel-focused lobbying or advocacy groups.

Safety and antisemitism

  • Empty. No statements or actions found on antisemitism or Jewish institution safety. Campaign communications focus on local economic policy, lower prescription costs, Social Security and Medicare, and fiscal accountability (campaign site).

Sources an initial search consulted

Also in this race

  1. ✗ Scott H. Peters (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.