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

Niki Conforti

Republican · U.S. House, Illinois District 6
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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 a January 2026 interview she calls herself a "pro-peace candidate" and says many in her district were "deeply affected by the war between Israel and Palestine", without saying where she stands on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Reviewed by hand on 2026-10-09. This candidate has no recorded tracked floor votes.

Conforti told Arab News in January 2026: "I think we've given a lot of money to fund foreign wars. We need to turn that money internally." On Ukraine and the Middle East: "we need to work toward peace and stop the killing." She names no recipient country.

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Deep Dive

Conforti is the Republican candidate for Illinois's 6th District, running against Rep. Sean Casten.

Her position is about foreign war spending generally rather than about this conflict. Describing her views as "America First," she told Arab News in January 2026: "I think we've given a lot of money to fund foreign wars. We need to turn that money internally to address mental health issues, to help the homeless, to help veterans, to lower crime. We have so many issues here at home where that money can be better spent." On the wars themselves: "In Ukraine and the Middle East, we need to work toward peace and stop the killing. These are turning into perpetual wars and we need to really get respect in the regions, have accountability on both sides, and reach an agreement that everyone can adhere to and keep."

That is a blanket position, and it is given here as blanket: she does not name Israel, Palestinians, or any specific transfer. She has cast no congressional votes on these packages.

In a January 2026 video interview she described herself as a pro-peace candidate and noted that her district contains a large Arab-American and Palestinian-American population, many of whom have lost family members in the war.

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.

In their words

“I think we've given a lot of money to fund foreign wars. We need to turn that money internally to address mental health issues, to help the homeless, to help veterans, to lower crime.”
Source ↗, 2026-01-12

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, 2026-01-12] Arab News interview, opened and confirmed word for word: describing her views as "America First," she said "I think we've given a lot of money to fund foreign wars. We need to turn that money internally to address mental health issues, to help the homeless, to help veterans, to lower crime. We have so many issues here at home where that money can be better spent." **She names no recipient**, so this is recorded as a blanket position on foreign war spending, not as a position on aid to Israel.
  • She has not served in federal office and has cast no votes on these packages.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • No statement or documented position located on U.S. humanitarian funding or the aid pipeline.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, 2026-01-12] Same interview, confirmed verbatim: "In Ukraine and the Middle East, we need to work toward peace and stop the killing. These are turning into perpetual wars and we need to really get respect in the regions, have accountability on both sides, and reach an agreement that everyone can adhere to and keep."
  • [Position, 2026-01-25] In a video interview broadcast by Al Jazeera English she described herself as a "pro-peace candidate" and noted the large Arab-American and Palestinian-American population in the district, many residents having been "deeply affected by the war between Israel and Palestine" and having lost family members. Login-walled source; as found.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • The Al Jazeera clip's own title is "Americans should reject all foreign influence," which the research did not quote as her words and neither does this package.
  • [Undated] A Human Dignity Project page comparing her with the incumbent; advocacy-adjacent, consulted only, never a card source.
  • [2026-01-15] Mondoweiss coverage; not opened, and a third party's framing rather than her position.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • Nothing located.

Also in this race

  1. ? Sean Casten (Democrat)

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.