But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Mike Beltran
Republican · U.S. House, Florida District 14
✗SupportsFrom their own words
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.
Asked by Florida Politics whether he would "continue funding Israel’s defense", Beltran answered: "Israel was attacked and has the right to defend itself. I believe the United States must prioritize spending on domestic needs but should continue to sell weapons to Israel." He will not take AIPAC money.
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Beltran is the Republican nominee in Florida's 14th District, a former Florida state representative who won his primary in August 2026.
His answer above comes from a candidate questionnaire published by Florida Politics in August 2026, where the question put to him was direct: would he vote to continue funding Israel's defense, and are there conditions he would impose. He named no conditions, put domestic spending first, and framed the continuing support as selling weapons. The same questionnaire draws his general line: on Ukraine he wrote that the United States "should stay out of the Ukraine conflict, but should make weapons available for purchase", so selling rather than granting is his stated frame for allies generally. His campaign survey for Ballotpedia, submitted in July 2026, says the same about allies in general: "our allies bear the cost of defending themselves." At a Republican primary debate in June he ruled out taking AIPAC money, telling the audience "AIPAC is for Castor. Everyone knows that" and that "AIPAC protects incumbents." The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is a lobbying organization that works for close ties between the United States and Israel. Turning down its money is not a position on what the United States sends.
He has held no federal office, so there are no recorded votes on this card. His state legislative record touches this subject only through safety measures, including co-sponsorship of Florida's 2023 law against antisemitic harassment and intimidation, which are on the research page as context.
Nothing located has him addressing U.S. humanitarian aid for Palestinians, at any date.
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.
Endorsed by Republican Jewish Coalition
Republican Jewish CoalitionThe Republican Jewish Coalition's PAC; it financially supports Republican candidates who reflect its priorities, including strong U.S. backing of the government of Israel.These endorsements come from groups that back sending U.S. weapons and funding to the government of Israel.
In their words
“Israel was attacked and has the right to defend itself. I believe the United States must prioritize spending on domestic needs but should continue to sell weapons to Israel.”
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, 2026-08-15] Florida Politics candidate questionnaire, published August 15, 2026. Under the printed question "Would you vote to continue funding Israel’s defense? Are there any conditions you want to impose on that funding?" he answered: "Israel was attacked and has the right to defend itself. I believe the United States must prioritize spending on domestic needs but should continue to sell weapons to Israel."
[Position, 2026-08-15] Same questionnaire, on Ukraine: the United States "should stay out of the Ukraine conflict, but should make weapons available for purchase by Ukraine." Recorded because it shows the sell-not-grant frame is general, not Israel-specific.
[Position, 2026-06-16] At a Republican primary debate in Tampa, reported by the Florida Phoenix: "I wouldn’t send more money to Ukraine. If Ukraine wants to buy more weapons, we can cut them a deal."
[Position, 2026-07-16] His Ballotpedia candidate survey, under the key messages of his campaign: "Lastly, we should ensure our military is used to protect American interests and our allies bear the cost of defending themselves. 35 years after the end of the Cold War, and over 80 years after World War II, our allies should assume greater responsibility for their own defense while the United States focuses its military resources on core national interests." It does not name Israel.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
Nothing located at any date.
Characterization of the conflict
[Position, 2026-08-15] The questionnaire answer above: "Israel was attacked and has the right to defend itself."
[Reaction window, 2023-10-11] As a state legislator he signed the Israel on Campus Coalition joint statement characterizing Hamas's actions as terrorism and criticizing Students for Justice in Palestine for "their campaign to glorify the Hamas attacks on Israel of October 7." A multi-signer statement; not on the card.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
[Position, 2026-06-16] At the same Republican primary debate in Tampa (Florida Phoenix, June 17, 2026), he said he would not take AIPAC money, though he was not "going to be self-righteous or sanctimonious about it": "The reason I’m not going to take any AIPAC money, and I don’t think anyone else in this room is, because AIPAC is for Castor. Everyone knows that". He added that "AIPAC protects incumbents." A statement about campaign money, not a position on what the United States sends.
He has no tracked funding badge because no committee support is recorded for him.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
[Prior, 2023-04-20] Co-sponsored Florida CS/HB 269 targeting antisemitic harassment, hate-symbol projections and religious intimidation, which passed the Florida House; recorded at Plural Policy's bill page and its vote record.
[Prior, 2020-02-26] On a Florida House bill to allow guns at churches, CBS Miami quoted him: "We have to let people protect themselves or we have to protect them". A bill about security at places of worship, recorded as context.
[Reaction window, 2023-10-11] The same coalition statement called for discipline of Students for Justice in Palestine chapters over allegations of inciting harassment. Not on the card.
What the campaign site says
[Consulted, read 2026-09-26] His campaign site: the home, platform page, about and news pages, and the site's own search for Israel, which lists nothing. No mention of Israel, Gaza or AIPAC. The platform's military plank says he "supports a strong national defense and a military that is focused on protecting America, not advancing political agendas."
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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