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

Michael Ted Goldstein

Republican · U.S. House, Connecticut District 4
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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 rival's call for an arms embargo on the Israeli army, he called the proposal completely unacceptable, which opposes limits on U.S. weapons. Reviewed by hand on 2026-10-01. This candidate has no recorded tracked floor votes.

At an October 2024 debate, Goldstein rejected a rival's call for an arms embargo on the government of Israel: "Mr. Wesley is proposing something that will lead to the extermination of the Jews of Israel and that is completely unacceptable." His platform pledges to “stand unequivocally with Israel”.

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Deep Dive

Goldstein, a Greenwich ophthalmologist and attorney, is the Republican nominee in Connecticut’s 4th District for the second consecutive cycle.

His campaign platform, verified in his own announcement letter: "The Fighter: Secure the border, stand unequivocally with Israel, protect Jewish students facing antisemitism on college campuses, defend parental rights..." His iVoterGuide answer, verified: allies should get "real military aid so they can defend themselves. An example is Israel as our only ally in the Middle East and strongest defender to Iranian-sponsored terrorism."

At the only debate of the 2024 general election, held in Stamford on October 29, 2024, an independent rival called for an arms embargo on the Israeli army. Goldstein, who told the audience he is the son-in-law of Holocaust survivors, said: "I can assure you that the Jewish people are not going to go to their death without a fight". He went on: "Mr. Wesley is proposing something that will lead to the extermination of the Jews of Israel and that is completely unacceptable." CT Examiner reported that he also rejected the casualty figures the rival cited as unreliable and biased.

In an August 2026 CT Mirror interview he said the societal rise in antisemitism was among the issues that compelled him to run, per the research record. The Republican Jewish Coalition promoted him as an endorsed candidate after his 2024 primary win, per its newsletter. A 2024 statement against antisemitism at a local library is single-source.

Nothing located has him addressing aid to Palestinians or the conduct of the war beyond that debate.

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 2026-09-27) 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

“Secure the border, stand unequivocally with Israel, protect Jewish students facing antisemitism on college campuses, defend parental rights, religious liberty, second amendment rights and make Connecticut the Constitution State again.”
Source ↗, 2026-03-14
“Mr. Wesley is proposing something that will lead to the extermination of the Jews of Israel and that is completely unacceptable.”
Source ↗, 2024-10-29
“I can assure you that the Jewish people are not going to go to their death without a fight”
Source ↗, 2024-10-29

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

  • [Position, 2024-10-29] At the CT Examiner debate in Stamford's Ferguson Library, the independent candidate called for an arms embargo against the Israeli army. Goldstein said he agreed with the incumbent, said he was the son-in-law of Holocaust survivors, and said: "I can assure you that the Jewish people are not going to go to their death without a fight". Then: "Mr. Wesley is proposing something that will lead to the extermination of the Jews of Israel and that is completely unacceptable." CT Examiner (Francisco Uranga, published 2024-10-30; the debate was the Tuesday night before).
  • [Cycle 2024; answer undated] The iVoterGuide military-aid answer, on his profile for the Connecticut Republican primary of August 13, 2024: "However this includes supporting our allies with real military aid so they can defend themselves. An example is Israel as our only ally in the Middle East and strongest defender to Iranian-sponsored terrorism." The page shows no answer date, so it was given before 2024-08-13 but cannot be placed more exactly. His profile also lists the 2026 primary and general races.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • Nothing located at any date.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, 2024-10-29] At the same debate, per CT Examiner: "Goldstein also rejected the numbers cited by Wesley as unreliable and biased." The paper's sentence, not his words.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [Endorsement, 2024-08] The Republican Jewish Coalition’s promotion of his candidacy, per its newsletter; reported, not confirmed directly.

Safety and antisemitism

  • [Position, 2026-03-14] The platform pledge, verified and quoted on the card.
  • [Reported, 2026-08-07] His CT Mirror remark that rising antisemitism helped compel his run; reported, not confirmed directly.
  • [Reported, 2024-09-23] The library-antisemitism statement; single local source, reported, not confirmed directly.

Sources retrieved for this card

Race and status context

  • Republican nominee against Rep. Jim Himes, whose card carries a detailed record.

Also in this race

  1. ? Jim Himes (Democrat)
  2. – Benjamin Wesley (Other)

All Connecticut 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.