Ty Masterson
Masterson led Kansas's adoption of the IHRA antisemitism definition into statute and joined an October 2025 state-lawmaker delegation to Israel: "When I see hatred toward Jews, it feels like an attack on my own family." No statement was located from him on U.S. weapons, money, or aid in the conflict.
Masterson is the Kansas Senate President and won the August 4, 2026 Republican primary for governor. His record on this issue is state-level advocacy and antisemitism work; we found no statement from him on U.S. military aid, weapons, or money in this conflict, which as a state legislator he has never voted on.
He spearheaded Kansas's adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism into state statute in early 2025, spoke at a June 2025 State Leadership Summit on Antisemitism in Kansas City urging other states to do the same, and attended the June 2025 emergency summit in Boulder after the firebombing of Jewish marchers. In September 2025 he praised the suspension of a Kansas State employee who had made statements supporting Hamas.
In October 2025 he joined a delegation of state lawmakers to Israel organized by the Combat Antisemitism Movement. In the interview he gave on return, he grounded his view in his faith: "Judaism is the foundation of the Christian faith. As a follower of Jesus Christ, who came to us from the Jews, I feel a deep sense of kinship. When I see hatred toward Jews, it feels like an attack on my own family." He also said "It's important to understand the truth and spread it," and argued state-level action matters because federal efforts "don't apply evenly across every state."
Research
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- No statement or action located (Middle East Eye's primaries coverage is the cited source for the absence). State office; no federal votes exist.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Nothing located.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Reaction window, 2024-01-11] Co-signed the ALEC multi-state legislative letter affirming support for Israel and condemning Hamas's October 7 attacks. Off the card; a multi-signatory letter, so no wording is attributed to him individually.
- [Position, 2025-10-30] CAM delegation interview, read and verified: "It's important to understand the truth and spread it"; the faith/kinship span quoted on the card; state action matters because federal efforts "don't apply evenly across every state." NOTE: an earlier claim that he said state legislatures hold "sovereign authority and moral responsibility to shape America's stance in support of Israel" is a sharpened paraphrase; the page's verified words are about sovereign responsibility and antisemitism battles, and the sharpened version is not used.
- EXCLUDED, wrong person: an "Iran and Proxy Regional Threats" item (statements dated 2026-02-28, 2026-03-02, 2026-03-12 characterizing Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah) is cited entirely to three Facebook posts by Sen. Tom Cotton and Rep. Roger Williams, none naming Masterson. Another politician's words; not attributed to him anywhere.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Position, 2025-06-29] Addressed the State Leadership Summit on Antisemitism and Support for Israel in Kansas City; urged nationwide state adoption of the IHRA definition (JPost, CAM interview above).
- [Position, 2025-10-30] October 2025 CAM legislative delegation to Israel: solidarity, security conditions, state-level economic and cultural ties (CAM interview above).
- [Position, 2025-09-04] Praised the suspension of a K-State employee who drew backlash for statements supporting Hamas (Sunflower State Journal).
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [Position, early 2025, reported] Spearheaded Kansas's adoption of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism into state statute (CAM interview, JPost above).
- [Position, 2025-06-10] Attended the emergency regional summit in Boulder, Colorado after the firebombing attack on Jewish marchers (the israel365news sources returned 403; carried as reported).
- [Prior, 2021-10-30] When a union leader compared vaccine mandates to the Holocaust at a legislative panel, Masterson commented that mandate opponents felt "like it's life and death" (Times of Israel, follow-up). A remark about public sentiment in a mandate fight, not an Israel position; earlier record, context only.
Also in this race: Cindy Holscher (Democrat) · All Kansas 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.