But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Adrian Boafo
- Backed with $5.7M by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by DMFI PAC
Boafo’s platform pledges to strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance, ensure Israel “has the security assistance it needs,” and increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians with anti-diversion safeguards. On primary attacks he said questioning “campaign support from Jewish Americans because of their religion is antisemitic, full stop”.
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You asked Adrian Boafo where they stand.
Deep Dive
Boafo, a Maryland state delegate, is the Democratic nominee for the open 5th District, winning the two-dozen-candidate primary to succeed retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer with AIPAC-affiliated independent support, which appears as badges on this card.
His platform, sourced from his own issues page in earlier research: "Strengthen the U.S.–Israel alliance and ensure Israel has the security assistance it needs to defend itself against Hamas and other terrorist threats", and "Increase humanitarian aid with strong safeguards to prevent diversion by Hamas and protect innocent lives." The Forward’s primary coverage and Jewish Insider’s race reporting both verify the pro-Israel positioning and Hoyer’s backing.
When primary rhetoric turned to the sources of his support, he told the Maryland Wire, verified: "Any attempt to question campaign support from Jewish Americans because of their religion is antisemitic, full stop. Israelis and Palestinians both deserve a future of peace, security, and opportunity, and in Congress I will do everything I can to work toward that future."
In Annapolis he co-sponsored the 2025 Unmask Hate Act on masked intimidation and is an associate member of the Maryland Legislative Jewish Caucus, per the official state manual. A claimed October 2024 anniversary op-ed is excluded: the offered page is Gov. Youngkin’s op-ed, not his.
The record
• June 23, 2026: Won the MD-05 Democratic primary with 32% in a roughly two-dozen-candidate field to succeed retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer, after United Democracy Project (AIPAC's super PAC) spent more than $5.7 million boosting him, the most of any outside group in the race; AIPAC said afterward it was proud to 'help ensure this seat remains represented by pro-Israel leadership.' [CONFIRMED: two independent sources]
• Campaign platform, 2026: Published a Foreign Policy plank pledging to 'Strengthen the U.S.–Israel alliance and ensure Israel has the security assistance it needs to defend itself against Hamas and other terrorist threats' and to 'Increase humanitarian aid with strong safeguards to prevent diversion by Hamas.' Jewish Insider quoted the security-assistance pledge from this page on June 3, 2026. [CONFIRMED: primary source]
• June 2026: After Sen. Chris Van Hollen accused AIPAC and crypto-linked groups of trying to 'buy this congressional seat,' Boafo publicly distanced himself from United Democracy Project's spending; Jewish Insider reported him saying, in response to Van Hollen's remarks, 'that big money has no place in politics' (partial quote as rendered by Jewish Insider). [CONFIRMED for Van Hollen criticism (two sources); Boafo response quote is a fragment reported by one outlet, not confirmed as full verbatim]
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.
See a dash? Ask the candidate where they stand, then send us their answer and we'll review it and update the mark. Or volunteer to help review candidates.
No recorded votes on the bills we track. In their own words on July 23, 2026; backed with $5.7M by United Democracy Project and DMFI (FEC filings); endorsed by DMFI PAC.
The money
$5.7M in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
Democratic Majority for Israel PAC (2026)
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
- No votes: a state legislator seeking federal office.
- [Position, standing platform] The security-assistance pledge, sourced from his issues page in earlier research (accessed 2026-07-23); the live page could not be read today.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- [Position, standing platform] The humanitarian-aid-with-safeguards pledge, same source.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2026-05/06] The both-peoples-deserve-peace framing, verified in the Maryland Wire’s report.
- The claimed October 2024 anniversary op-ed is excluded: the offered carrier is Gov. Youngkin’s Washington Post op-ed, a different author.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Race record, 2026-06] AIPAC-affiliated independent support and Hoyer’s endorsement, per Jewish Insider and the badges; his distancing from attacks on that support is his own verified statement above.
Safety and antisemitism
- [Position, 2026] The antisemitic-full-stop statement, verified and quoted on the card.
- [Action, 2025-02-05] The Unmask Hate Act co-sponsorship, per the trackers; his floor framing ("trying to protect our communities and Marylanders") per the research record.
- [Membership, 2024] The Maryland Legislative Jewish Caucus associate membership, per the official Maryland Manual.
Race and status context
- Democratic nominee for the open MD-5 seat. His Republican opponent’s card carries its own record.
Also in this race
- ?Mixed Chris Chaffee (Republican)
All Maryland candidates.
See everyone on the Maryland 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.