Eric Sorensen
Sorensen is reported to have declined calls for an arms embargo, and told WVIK in October 2024: "I think we have to separate the good people of Israel and the Jewish people from somebody like Benjamin Netanyahu. Who is, I don't think, behaving on the responsibility that he should."
Sorensen represents Illinois's 17th District in northwestern Illinois and is running for re-election.
His clearest statement distinguishes the Israeli government from Israel itself. In an October 2024 WVIK interview he said: "I think we have to separate the good people of Israel and the Jewish people from somebody like Benjamin Netanyahu. Who is, I don't think, behaving on the responsibility that he should. But understanding there has to be a situation here. Where the people of Gaza, the people on the West Bank, the people of Lebanon, the people of Syria. Have the ability to live their lives and have their self-determinance." Earlier that month, meeting Palestinian-rights advocates in the Quad Cities, he is reported to have declined their call for a U.S. arms embargo or an end to military aid.
On the aid going the other way he has been specific. At a June 2024 press conference he said: "We have to make sure that we take out Hamas. But we can't just leave the people of Gaza and the people of the West Bank just out to dry, because their homes are gone, their businesses are gone."
Tracked votes: backed sending U.S. weapons or funding to the government of Israel in 4 of 6 recorded votes.
Research
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- [Position, 2024-10-16] WVIK interview, opened and confirmed word for word: "I think we have to separate the good people of Israel and the Jewish people from somebody like Benjamin Netanyahu. Who is, I don't think, behaving on the responsibility that he should. But understanding there has to be a situation here. Where the people of Gaza, the people on the West Bank, the people of Lebanon, the people of Syria. Have the ability to live their lives and have their self-determinance." The transcript's sentence fragments are the outlet's own rendering of speech and are preserved rather than smoothed.
- [Position, 2024-10-04] Meeting Quad Cities Palestinian-rights advocates, he is reported to have said he was not agreeable to calls for a U.S. arms embargo or ending military aid to Israel. Source: WVIK coverage of the coalition's arms-embargo rally. Not separately verified; stated attributively on the card and in the deep dive.
- [After October 7, 2023-11-03] Statement supporting the $14.3 billion emergency aid request for Israel while objecting to House Republican leadership conditioning it on domestic spending cuts. From the weeks right after October 7; not used on the card.
- His recorded votes on the tracked bills appear as badges on this card. They are mixed, and the statements above are his own account of the distinction he draws between the Israeli government and the aid itself.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- [Position, 2024-06-07] WCBU press conference, confirmed verbatim: "We have to make sure that we take out Hamas," and "we can't just leave the people of Gaza and the people of the West Bank just out to dry, because their homes are gone, their businesses are gone." The article adds that he hoped the prime minister would listen to diplomatic pressure for a ceasefire.
- [After October 7, 2023-12-18] WGLT, confirmed verbatim: "We need to make sure that the people in Gaza are taken care of. Hamas does not have the grip over their security, their safety, their well being anymore. We have to expedite humanitarian aid. We also have to make sure that Hamas has no place to be able to do terrorist actions like they did on October 7th."
Characterization of the conflict
- [After October 7, 2023-12-18] Confirmed verbatim, same WGLT piece: "We have to look at what is going to cause stability, security, safety. And we have to have a shared sense of humanity for what's going on. I'm increasingly troubled at what's going on in Gaza, as it seems that perhaps the Netanyahu government doesn't, isn't playing by the rules."
- [After October 7, 2023-10-20] Joined CBS News from Capitol Hill to discuss the war and the Speaker race.
- [Position, 2024-06-10] Said he remained undecided about attending Prime Minister Netanyahu's July address, wanting a focus on diplomacy (WMBD). Not opened.
⚠ Wrong-person sources
- **ballotpedia.org/Mark_Rice** is a different person entirely and was returned among this candidate's sources. Nothing from it is used.
- **A Facebook post by Rep. Mike Quigley** about an appropriations markup was likewise returned here. Quigley is a different Illinois member with his own card in this batch. Nothing from it is used.
- A Sorensen issues page paginated URL on government accountability was returned; unrelated subject.
Also in this race: Dillan Vancil (Republican) · All Illinois candidates.
See the full record →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 the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.