But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Ryan Elijah
Republican · U.S. House, Florida District 7
?Mixed
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.
Two reviewers, reading the public record as a whole, agree: In an August 2026 voter-guide answer he calls Israel "a longtime valuable ally of the United States", and in a September 2026 news article, asked whether support should be unconditional, he answers "Absolutely not", which points both ways. Reviewed by hand on 2026-10-09. This candidate has no recorded tracked floor votes.
Asked by WKMG News 6 in September whether support for the government of Israel should be unconditional, Elijah answered "No, of course not. Absolutely not." He says he is not taking AIPAC money. Nothing located says which conditions he would set on U.S. weapons for the government of Israel.
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His words on the subject are in a candidate survey he filled in across the whole form. Asked whether the United States' relationship with Israel is important and why, he answered: "It is very important. Israel has been a longtime valuable ally of the United States and provides critical information and stability in the volatile Middle East region." On American foreign policy generally he chose the selective option and explained: "The U.S. must use discretion on foreign conflicts. I believe in peace through strength and stabilizing areas were American security or world peace are directly at risk." Among his priorities for eliminating government waste he lists "Examine foreign aid programs to determine efficiency and purpose."
In a September 2026 interview, he told WKMG News 6: "I’m not taking money from AIPAC." He described Israel as "a key ally" and added: "America First means you can support Israel, because it supports American interests." Asked whether that support should be unconditional, he answered: "No, of course not. Absolutely not. And that’s why I say America First — as long as it is in America’s best interest." The interview as published does not say which conditions he would set, or whether he would change any U.S. weapons transfer to the government of Israel. 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. His campaign site says nothing on these questions.
Nothing located has him addressing U.S. humanitarian aid for Palestinians at any date. If you want to know what he would vote to send, ask him directly and send us the reply: it goes on this page in his own words.
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
“No, of course not. Absolutely not. And that’s why I say America First — as long as it is in America’s best interest.”
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, 2026-09-09] Asked by WKMG News 6 whether support for Israel should be unconditional: "No, of course not. Absolutely not. And that’s why I say America First — as long as it is in America’s best interest." No condition or transfer is named. The station says its interviews were "lightly edited for length and clarity".
[Position, read 2026-08-21] His candidate survey, read and matched under its own questions. Confirmed word for word: the Israel answer ("It is very important. Israel has been a longtime valuable ally of the United States and provides critical information and stability in the volatile Middle East region."), the foreign-policy range answer ("B. The U.S. must use discretion on foreign conflicts. I believe in peace through strength and stabilizing areas were American security or world peace are directly at risk."; the spelling "were" is the page's own), and the waste priority ("Examine foreign aid programs to determine efficiency and purpose.").
He answered across the form, including "Strongly Agree" on the Chinese Communist Party question and free-text answers on spending. The page carries no answer date and is dated to the day it was read; the guide's publication date could not be confirmed on the page.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
Nothing located.
Characterization of the conflict
[Position, read 2026-08-21] The survey's Israel answer above is the whole of it; the same form has him marking strong agreement that "Islamic terrorism is a threat to the United States' national security." No characterization of the war in Gaza or of Palestinian statehood was located.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
[Position, 2026-09-09] "I’m not taking money from AIPAC." (WKMG News 6 interview). A refusal of a group's money, not a position on what the United States sends.
No tracked funding badge appears because no committee support is recorded for him.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
His campaign lists public safety among its core issues; nothing located addresses antisemitism specifically.
Other places checked
[Consulted, read 2026-08-21; re-read 2026-09-26] His campaign site: the home, issues, about, news and endorsements pages, a biography and conservative-values framing. No occurrence of Israel, Gaza, AIPAC or foreign aid.
A localcandidates.org profile exists and could not be opened.
Race and status context
Republican nominee in a closely watched district, having defeated the sitting member in the August 18, 2026 primary; President Trump endorsed him for the general election the day after the primary, per the coverage above.
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.