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

Jeff Belle

Republican · U.S. House, California District 52
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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 an April 2026 voter-guide question, he calls Israel "our number one ally", 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.

Belle has not offered policy proposals on U.S. military aid to the government of Israel or U.S. aid to Palestinians. On a 2026 questionnaire he called Israel "our number one ally!" In an April 2026 interview he said the U.S. has done a lot for Israel.

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Deep Dive

Belle, a Navy veteran and former Contra Costa County Board of Education member challenging incumbent Juan Vargas in CA-52, has not released policy proposals on conditioning, expanding, or reducing U.S. military aid or weapons transfers to the government of Israel, and nothing on U.S. aid to Palestinians.

On his 2026 iVoterGuide questionnaire, asked whether the U.S. relationship with Israel is important, he answered "Yes, our number one ally!" and answered "Strongly Agree" that Islamic terrorism threatens U.S. national security. In a video interview published April 20, 2026, he said the U.S. has helped build a military system and has done a lot for Israel, framed regional security around keeping Iran from nuclear capability, and said that as a Christian he believes the Bible says to pray for Israel (video statements pending verification).

An initial search found no record on Israel-related lobbying groups and no statements on antisemitism or Jewish community safety.

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.

In their words

“Yes, our number one ally!”
Source ↗, 2026-04-20

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

  • 2026 (undated questionnaire) [Current position; verified]: iVoterGuide answer on whether the U.S.-Israel relationship is important: "Yes, our number one ally!" iVoterGuide.
  • 2026-04-20 [Current position; video source, quotes pending verification]: In an interview posted by a local candidate's Facebook page (the page opened), said the U.S. has "helped to build a military system" and has "done a lot for Israel"; framed regional security around preventing a nuclear Iran. Facebook video.
  • No specific proposals found on conditioning, expanding, or reducing U.S. military aid or weapons transfers to Israel; nothing on U.S. aid to Palestinians.

Characterization of the conflict

  • 2026-04-20 [Current position; video source, quote pending verification]: "as a Christian, the Bible said to pray for Israel." Facebook video.
  • 2026 (undated questionnaire) [Current position; verified]: "Strongly Agree" that Islamic terrorism presents a threat to U.S. national security. iVoterGuide.
  • No detailed statements found on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, peace agreements, statehood, or administration of Gaza and the West Bank.

Rhetoric and lobbying

  • Empty. No record of statements or actions on Israel-related lobbying groups or PACs. Adjacent context only: KPBS (2026-04-22, about his opponent Vargas and AIPAC money, names Belle) and a Reddit thread (undated, unconfirmed, about Vargas).

Safety and antisemitism

  • Empty. No public records, platform materials, or reported comments on domestic antisemitism or Jewish community safety.

Candidacy confirmation

  • Ballotpedia and district page (domain will not open here; the page opened at first search), BallotReady. A localcandidates.org about page would not open and carried bio only.

Also in this race

  1. ✗ Juan Vargas (Democrat)

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.