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

Joe Mitchell

Republican · U.S. House, Iowa District 2
✗From an endorsement
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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No recorded votes on the bills we track. Endorsed by Republican Jewish Coalition.

Nothing located has Mitchell taking a position on U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel, or on U.S. aid to Palestinians. On a die-in against Collins Aerospace over Israel, he told the Washington Reporter: "Lying on the floor and throwing a temper tantrum isn’t a marketable skill".

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Deep Dive

Mitchell is the Republican nominee in Iowa’s 2nd District, a business owner and former state representative.

His one located remark touches the subject sideways. In February 2026, activists staged a die-in at the University of Iowa demanding that Iowa-based Collins Aerospace, which has an office in the district, "end [its] complicity" with Israel. Mitchell told the Washington Reporter: "Lying on the floor and throwing a temper tantrum isn’t a marketable skill". He added: "You wonder why some college grads can’t find work. Well, now we know." The remark is about the protesters, not about what the United States sends.

Nothing located has him addressing U.S. military aid, aid to Palestinians, or antisemitism.

Ask Mitchell 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 2026-07-23) from the five lobbying groups we track; earlier cycles and earmarked donations not yet tracked.
Support-only OpenFEC data. Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.
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

“Lying on the floor and throwing a temper tantrum isn’t a marketable skill”
Source ↗, 2026-02-20
Endorsements

Republican Jewish Coalition (2026 endorsement)

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

  • Nothing located.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • Nothing located.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, 2026-02-20] The die-in remark, verified verbatim: “Lying on the floor and throwing a temper tantrum isn’t a marketable skill,” and “You wonder why some college grads can’t find work. Well, now we know.” A comment on the protesters’ tactics at a die-in demanding that Iowa-based Collins Aerospace “end [its] complicity” with Israel. The protest’s target and demand are the piece’s reporting.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • Nothing located. No tracked funding badge appears because no committee support is recorded for him.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • Nothing located.

Where the absence was checked

Race and status context

  • Republican nominee in an open-seat race; his Democratic opponent’s card carries its own record. His state-house votes are outside what this site tracks.

Also in this race

  1. – Lindsay James (Democrat)
  2. ✓ Dave Bushaw (Independent)
  3. – Rick Stewart (Libertarian)

All Iowa 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.