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

Chris Chaffee

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.

Two reviewers, reading the public record as a whole, agree: In a May 2024 voter-guide answer he says "Israel is one of our greatest allies" and "Having a strong alliance with Israel is good for all of us", without saying where he 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.

Nothing located has Chaffee taking a position on U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel, or on U.S. aid to Palestinians. His 2026 profile leaves the Israel question unanswered.

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Your record on weapons and funding for the government of Israel [ref: md5-chaffee]

Dear Chris Chaffee,

I plan to vote in the November elections, but before I vote for you, I want to be sure I understand your plan going forward when it comes to weapons and funding for the government of Israel, because your record is mixed.

Will you commit, if elected, to voting against further transfers of weapons and funding to the government of Israel, or to supporting enforceable conditions on that support?

Your record points in different directions, so I'm asking for clarity: where do you stand now, and what will you do?

I may share your answer publicly so other voters can see it.

Respectfully,
[Your name]

X ↗Facebook ↗

Deep Dive

Chaffee is the Republican nominee in Maryland’s 5th District, a Calvert County contractor and repeat statewide candidate.

On the question of whether the relationship with Israel matters, and on the foreign-policy items around it, his 2026 profile leaves them blank. Nothing located from him reaches aid packages, transfers, or conditions, and this card does not stretch what he has said. An earlier survey answer, which carries no date, is on his research page.

Ask Chaffee directly and send us the reply: it goes on this page in his own words.

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

Nothing located as a package or transfers position.
[Non-answer, 2026] His current profile shows "Did not answer" on the Israel-relationship question.
[Undated; questionnaire for the May 14, 2024 Senate primary] Asked "Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?", he wrote on his 2024 Senate-primary profile: "Yes, Israel is one of our greatest allies. As a Catholic it is where Christ was born. Having a strong alliance with Israel is good for all of us and is the pathway to peace." The page does not show when he answered, so the date could not be fixed beyond the questionnaire belonging to that primary. It is general support for the alliance and names no aid, weapons or conditions.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

Nothing located.

Characterization of the conflict

Nothing located.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

Nothing located. No tracked funding badge appears because no committee support is recorded for him.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

Nothing located. (A Stefanik anniversary post in the research record is another member’s page; nothing claimed.)

Where the absence was checked

[Consulted] His Ballotpedia profile, local voter guides, and the surveys above. No campaign-site address located.
[Not found] A "Strongly Agree" mark on the statement that the United States should help defend Israel from attack is not on his 2024 Senate-primary profile or on his 2026 profile; nothing is claimed from it.

Race and status context

Republican nominee in a heavily Democratic district; his opponent’s card carries its own record. He has held no office, so there are no recorded votes on this card.

Also in this race

✗ Adrian Boafo (Democrat)

All Maryland candidates.