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

James Marter

Republican · U.S. House, Illinois District 14
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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: In his March 2024 WTTW questionnaire he answered yes to giving Israel both money and military supplies for its fight against Hamas. Reviewed by hand on 2026-09-28. This candidate has no recorded tracked floor votes.

Marter answered "Yes" to both aid questions in a 2024 WTTW candidate guide: whether the U.S. should give Israel money in its fight against Hamas, and whether it should send military supplies. Local coverage reported him standing fully behind Israel's conduct of the war.

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Deep Dive

Marter is the Republican candidate for Illinois's 14th District, running against Rep. Lauren Underwood. He has run for Congress repeatedly since 2016.

His position is recorded as questionnaire answers. In the WTTW voters' guide, read in full, he answered "Yes" to "Should the U.S. provide Israel with money in its fight against Hamas?" and "Yes" to "Should the United States provide Israel with aid in the form of military supplies in its fight against Hamas?" On the same form he answered "No" on military supplies for Ukraine, so his support here is specific rather than a general position on foreign aid.

In October 2024 WNIJ reported that he "stands 100 percent with Israel and its conduct in the war," contrasting him with his opponent on an arms embargo. That is the outlet's characterization rather than a quotation from him, and it is given as such.

The money

Checked the five lobbying groups we track; no direct support found in any cycle they have filed

Lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
Nothing recorded (as of 2026-10-03) from the five lobbying groups we track, in any cycle they have filed.
Support-only OpenFEC data. Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.

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, 2024-03] WTTW candidate guide, opened and confirmed, question-and-answer pairs read in sequence: "Should the U.S. provide Israel with money in its fight against Hamas?" answered "Yes"; "Should the United States provide Israel with aid in the form of military supplies in its fight against Hamas?" answered "Yes." The immediately preceding Ukraine question is answered "No," which is what makes his Israel answers specific rather than a blanket foreign-aid position.
  • [Position, 2024-10-29] WNIJ, confirmed: "Marter on the other hand, stands 100 percent with Israel and its conduct in the war." ⚠ **That sentence is the reporter's summary, not a quotation from him.** The research rendered it as Marter "stated that he stands '100 percent with Israel...'", which would put the outlet's words in his mouth. Corrected here and on the card.
  • [Position, 2026-02-02, unverified source] The research turns up a Daily Herald questionnaire in which he affirmed support for Israel as an ally while calling for an "America First" foreign policy. The Daily Herald page was not readable, as on two other records.
  • [After October 7, 2023-10-09] His campaign release, opened and confirmed word for word: "I want the American people, the people of my district and our friends in Israel to know that I support them in their right to exist and defend themselves against their enemies." And: "When America fails to lead, evil takes the lead. The policies of my opponent have not only been one of appeasement but have gone far beyond to actually funding state sponsors of terror." From the weeks right after October 7; not used on the card.
  • He has no federal voting record.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • No statement or documented position found by the research.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [After October 7, 2023-10-09] Described the outbreak as "evil" filling a void created by American appeasement and by foreign aid to Iran and the PLO (same release, confirmed).
  • [After October 7, 2023-10-11] Characterized Hamas's actions as "terror, kidnapping, murder and war crimes."
  • [Position, 2026-02-02, unverified source] Described Hamas's actions as "heinous, evil, and barbaric acts of war,", as reported's reading of the unreadable Daily Herald page.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • His October 2023 release is largely an attack on his opponent's record; Rep. Underwood has her own card on this site, and nothing from his release is used to describe her.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • The same release accuses his opponent of failing to call out antisemitism. A campaign claim about another candidate, not a statement of policy; recorded here, not used.

Consulted

Also in this race

  1. ? Lauren Underwood (Democrat)

All Illinois 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.