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 Simpson
- Backed with $23K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC
- Sits on House Appropriations
Simpson voted for every Israel aid bill and against both amendments to cut aid to Israel, and condemned the 2024 pause on shipments: "President Biden’s dangerous decision to withhold critical arms shipments to Israel undermines our great ally". Nothing located has him addressing U.S. aid to Palestinians.
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You asked Mike Simpson where they stand.
Deep Dive
Simpson represents Idaho’s 2nd District, is the sitting member, and is a senior appropriator.
His recorded votes on the tracked bills appear as badges on this card, all on the support side, including votes against both amendments to cut aid to Israel. As an original co-sponsor of the bill compelling delivery of paused weapons, his May 2024 release said: "President Biden’s dangerous decision to withhold critical arms shipments to Israel undermines our great ally, emboldens our enemies like Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and jeopardizes our national security", calling the administration’s pressure on Israel "appeasement of his radical base".
His standing Iron Dome support sits on the research page, as does district coverage of a proposed Qatari air facility that never reaches this card’s questions. He appears in the Idaho delegation’s campus-antisemitism letters.
Nothing located has him addressing U.S. humanitarian aid for Palestinians at any date.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes
House Committee on Appropriations
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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Voted to send weapons or funding in more than half of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$23K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
AIPAC (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
- His recorded votes appear as badges on this card, all support-side; the grounding for each sits in the record section.
- [Position, 2024-05-16] His release on the shipment-release bill, verified: the full sentence quoted on the card (its Iran clause stays inside his verbatim words), plus the "appeasement of his radical base" line.
- [Position, undated newsletter] His Iron Dome support ("has saved countless lives and I proudly supported legislation that demonstrates our commitment to Israel"), per his official newsletter as captured by the research; defensive-systems detail, research page only.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Nothing located at any date.
Characterization of the conflict
- The May 2024 release’s framing above is his sharpest characterization on record here.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- Tracked funding totals appear as a badge on this card.
- [District context] Coverage of a proposed Qatari air force facility in Idaho (Notus, local television, Jewish Insider) names him in district-reaction terms; it never reaches aid or weapons for Israel and nothing from it is claimed.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [Position, 2024-05] Jewish Insider’s Idaho-delegation antisemitism coverage naming him.
Race and status context
- Sitting member, nominated. His Democratic challenger’s card carries its own record.
Also in this race
- –No Position Found Ellie Gilbreath (Democrat)
- –Research Underway Emre Houser (Independent)
- –Research Underway Tripp Charles Hutchinson (Independent)
- –Research Underway Will Johanson (Libertarian)
All Idaho candidates.
See everyone on the Idaho ballot →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.