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

Paul LePage

Republican · U.S. House, Maine District 2
✗From an endorsement
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. Endorsed by Republican Jewish Coalition.

Nothing located as of September 2026 has LePage taking a position on U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel, or on U.S. aid to Palestinians. His campaign site lists seven issues, from costs and the border to Social Security and veterans, and none is foreign policy.

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Deep Dive

LePage, Maine's governor from 2011 to 2019, is the Republican nominee in the 2nd District for the seat Rep. Jared Golden is leaving. Nothing located has him taking a position on U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel, or on U.S. aid to Palestinians, and nothing has him characterizing the war in Gaza. His campaign site lists costs and inflation, the border, jobs, constitutional liberty, Social Security and Medicare, innovation and veterans; foreign policy is not on it, and Ballotpedia shows no completed candidate survey.

What he has said that touches the subject is older, and none of it is about Israel policy. In a March 2019 radio interview about Rep. Ilhan Omar's remarks on Israel's supporters, he said Jewish Americans are where the Democratic Party’s money "comes from for the most part". In July 2012, as governor, he called the IRS "the new Gestapo" in a radio address against the Affordable Care Act, and then apologized for his "insensitivity to the word". Both episodes are set out in his own words on his research page.

In March 2026 the Washington Times reported that he stands behind the president's decision to launch the joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. The report does not quote him on Israel or on U.S. aid. Where he stands on U.S. weapons and money for the government of Israel is a question you are better placed to put to him than we are. Ask LePage directly and send us the reply: it goes on this page in his own words.

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.
Endorsed by Republican Jewish Coalition
Republican Jewish CoalitionThe Republican Jewish Coalition's PAC; it financially supports Republican candidates who reflect its priorities, including strong U.S. backing of the government of Israel.These endorsements come from groups that back sending U.S. weapons and funding to the government of Israel.

In their words

Endorsements

Republican Jewish Coalition (2026 endorsement)

Research log

The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.

Every page below was read on 2026-09-04 unless marked otherwise. Bands: Position (2024-01-26 onward), Reaction window (2023-10-07 to 2024-01-25), Earlier record (before 2023-10-07), Undated.

U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel

  • Nothing located has LePage stating a position on U.S. weapons, arms sales or military funding for the government of Israel, as governor, as a private citizen or as a candidate. Searches on 2026-09-04 for his name with Israel, Gaza, Netanyahu and AIPAC found nothing, and searches on 2026-09-25 found nothing newer.
  • [Position; live page, read 2026-09-04 and 2026-09-25] His campaign site (navigation Meet Paul, Issues, Donate, Join the Team) lists seven issues: Lowering Costs and Inflation; Securing Our Border; Creating Jobs, Growing Our Economy; Defending Constitutional Liberty; Protecting Social Security and Medicare; Supporting Innovation and Freedom; Standing Up for Our Veterans. No foreign policy plank; no mention of Israel, Gaza, Palestinians, aid or the Middle East.
  • [Undated; read 2026-09-04] Ballotpedia records that he has not completed its 2026 Candidate Connection survey (nor the 2022 one) and carries nothing on this subject. Wikipedia has no Israel material; its only Jewish-community item is the 2012 Gestapo episode below. The Washington Examiner's nomination story (2026-06-10) and a Fox News piece on his prospective run (2025-03-07) carry nothing in scope.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • Nothing located from LePage on UNRWA, Gaza humanitarian funding or the aid pipeline.

Characterization of the conflict

  • Nothing located from LePage characterizing the war in Gaza or the conflict.
  • [2024-12-27; not by LePage] A December 2024 Bangor Daily News column, dated December 27, arguing that the University of Maine board was right to oppose divesting from Israel is by Michael Cianchette, who was a chief counsel to LePage as governor. It is not LePage's.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [Position, 2026-03-05] The Washington Times (article:published_time 2026-03-05), in a profile of his campaign: "After describing himself as “ Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular,” Mr. LePage stands behind the president’s polarizing decision to launch joint airstrikes with Israel against Iran and sees the president’s tariff agenda as a necessary evil, while stressing he wants an exemption for the lumber industry, which is crucial to Maine’s economy." The reporter's summary, with no direct quotation from him on Israel; the subject is Iran. Nothing else in the article concerns Israel, Gaza or aid. An archived copy (2026-03-11) carries the same sentence.
  • [Position, 2026-07-29] In a Portland Press Herald Q&A with both nominees, an adviser answered for him by text message. He did not answer the paper's question on whether he supports the administration's actions in the Iran war, and none of the answers given for him mentions Israel, Gaza or aid.
  • [Earlier record, 2019-03-11] WGAN-AM radio interview, reported the same day by the Portland Press Herald (article:published_time 2019-03-11): "“The Jewish people in America have been great supporters of the Democratic Party,” LePage said. “In fact, that’s where their money comes from for the most part. They should be absolutely insulted for what she’s been saying.”" The "she" is Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose remarks about Israel's supporters and "allegiance" to a foreign country were the subject. The report continues: "LePage, who has previously grabbed headlines for remarks critics deem racist, said he felt “completely vindicated from anything” he has said in light of freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota." And: "LePage said he is “skeptical” that Jewish voters would break away from Democrats. “I think what they might do, the fundraising might get hurt a little bit,” LePage said. “But I don’t think they’re going to desert the Democratic Party.”" His representatives did not respond to the paper's request for comment. The same remarks are reported by Maine Public (2019-03-11) and by Talking Points Memo (2019-03-11, which credits the Associated Press with flagging the interview). News Center Maine's report (https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/lepage-suggests-democrats-money-comes-mostly-from-jews/97-7b3a50b5-a075-4029-8c2c-2c6264c490d5) could not be opened. These are statements about Jewish Americans and the Democratic Party, not about Israel policy.
  • Nothing located has him addressing AIPAC or any other lobbying organization, or accepting or refusing their support.

Safety and antisemitism (context, not a position on what America sends)

  • [Earlier record, 2012-07-07] Weekly radio address as governor, opposing the Affordable Care Act, as quoted by Government Executive (2012-07-11): "“This decision has made America less free,” LePage said in the radio address. “We the people have been told there is no choice. You must buy health insurance or pay the new Gestapo -- the IRS.”" Government Executive adds, citing the Morning Sentinel, that the line was in the prepared remarks, not off the cuff.
  • [Earlier record, 2012-07-09] Statement of Governor LePage on Gestapo Comment, the Maine.gov bulletin: "“It was not my intent to insult anyone, especially the Jewish Community, or minimize the fact that millions of people were murdered. Clearly, what has happened is that the use of the word Gestapo has clouded my message. Obamacare is forcing the American people to buy health insurance or else pay a tax. Our health care system is moving toward one that rations care and negatively impact millions of Americans. We no longer are a free people. With every step that Obamacare moves forward, our individual freedoms are being stripped away by the Federal Government. This should anger all Americans.”"
  • [Earlier record, 2012-07-12] Interview with Seven Days, a Burlington, Vermont weekly, at a fundraising event, as reported by the Forward (2012-07-13, which places the interview "on Thursday"): "“What I am trying to say is the Holocaust was a horrific crime against humanity and, frankly, I would never want to see that repeated. Maybe the IRS is not quite as bad – yet,” LePage said. Asked if the IRS was headed in that direction, LePage responded, “They’re headed in that direction.” Asked if he knew what Adolf Hitler’s secret police did during World War Two, including the imprisonment and murder of millions of Jews, LePage said, “Yeah, they killed a lot of people.” Asked whether the IRS “was headed in the direction of killing a lot of people,” LePage answered: “Yeah.” LePage added he was referring to the rationing of healthcare that he said occurs in Canada". The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (2012-07-13) carries the Holocaust sentence from the same interview.
  • [Earlier record, 2012-07-13] Formal apology, per the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, citing the Associated Press: "In a formal apology over his “insensitivity to the word,” LePage said Friday that it was “never my intent to insult or to be hurtful to anyone, but rather express what can happen by overreaching government,”" and "“The acts of the Holocaust were nothing short of horrific. Millions of innocent people were murdered and I apologize for my insensitivity to the word and the offense some took to my comparison of the IRS and the Gestapo.”" JTA adds that earlier that week he met representatives of the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine and the Anti-Defamation League at the State House and apologized. The Times of Israel's report (https://www.timesofisrael.com/end-of-maine-kampf-governor-apologizes/, dated 2012-07-10) carries the radio-address line and the 2012-07-09 statement.
  • [Earlier record, 2019-03-11] In the WGAN interview above he said he felt “completely vindicated from anything” he had said, in light of the Omar controversy (Press Herald; Maine Public).

Not on the card, and why

  • The Bangor Daily News column of 2024-12-27: written by Michael Cianchette, not LePage. Wrong person; excluded entirely.
  • The Washington Times airstrikes item: Iran is not this subject and the passage is the reporter's summary; one attributive sentence in the deep dive, off the front.
  • The 2012 and 2019 material: earlier record, about Jewish Americans and the Gestapo comparison, not about what America sends. It is not on the front; the deep dive gives it one sentence of context, and it is set out in full above.
  • A Portland Press Herald letter to the editor, "Gaza will have a bearing on Maine elections" (2026-06-25), found by web search: a reader's letter that does not mention LePage. A Maine Beacon article on where Maine's members of Congress stand on Palestine (https://mainebeacon.com/where-maines-congressmembers-stand-on-palestine/, 2025-08-22) concerns the sitting members and does not mention him. A 2024 article on a write-in candidate in the 2024 2nd District race (Maine Morning Star, 2024-10-24, also carried by News From The States at https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/unenrolled-write-candidate-injects-israel-gaza-war-maines-cd2-race) is about a different election and does not mention LePage.

Sources retrieved for this card (URL, HTTP status, date read 2026-09-04)

  • https://lepageforcongress.com/ (200; single page plus Meet Paul and Team pages; read again 2026-09-25)
  • https://ballotpedia.org/Paul_LePage (200)
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_LePage (200)
  • https://www.pressherald.com/2019/03/11/lepage-says-democratic-partys-money-mostly-comes-from-jewish-people/ (200; article:published_time 2019-03-11)
  • https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2019-03-11/lepage-says-democrats-mostly-get-money-from-jewish-people (200; 2019-03-11)
  • https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/lepage-democratic-partys-money-comes-from-jews-for-the-most-part (200; 2019-03-11)
  • https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MEGOV/bulletins/4891e8 (200; statement dated 2012-07-09)
  • https://www.govexec.com/management/2012/07/union-sounds-over-governors-gestapo-comment/56729/ (200; 2012-07-11)
  • https://www.jta.org/2012/07/13/politics/maine-gov-paul-lepage-apologizes-for-gestapo-comment (200; 2012-07-13)
  • https://forward.com/fast-forward/159360/maine-governor-calls-irs-gestapo/ (200; 2012-07-13)
  • https://www.timesofisrael.com/end-of-maine-kampf-governor-apologizes/ (opened; 2012-07-10)
  • https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/mar/5/damn-right-ex-gov-paul-lepage-says-fraud-around-maine-democrats-blame/ (200 on 2026-09-04; article:published_time 2026-03-05; archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/20260311043105/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/mar/5/damn-right-ex-gov-paul-lepage-says-fraud-around-maine-democrats-blame/ read 2026-09-25)
  • https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/12/27/opinion/opinion-contributor/umaine-board-right-to-oppose-divesting-from-israel-joam40zk0w/ (200; by Michael Cianchette, not LePage)
  • https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4600640/paul-lepage-republican-nomination-maine-2nd-district/ (200; 2026-06-10)
  • https://www.foxnews.com/politics/former-gop-firebrand-governor-eying-run-congress-key-swing-district (200; 2025-03-07)
  • https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/25/gaza-will-have-a-bearing-on-maine-elections-letter/ (200; does not mention him)
  • https://mainebeacon.com/where-maines-congressmembers-stand-on-palestine/ (opened; does not mention him)
  • https://mainemorningstar.com/2024/10/24/unenrolled-write-in-candidate-injects-israel-gaza-war-into-maines-cd2-race/ (200; 2024-10-24; read 2026-09-25; does not mention him)
  • https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/unenrolled-write-candidate-injects-israel-gaza-war-maines-cd2-race (the same article; read 2026-09-25)
  • https://www.pressherald.com/2026/07/29/we-asked-paul-lepage-and-matt-dunlap-about-iran-trump-and-healthcare-heres-what-they-said/ (200; 2026-07-29; read 2026-09-25)

Places that could not be read, so nothing is claimed from them

  • https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/lepage-suggests-democrats-money-comes-mostly-from-jews/97-7b3a50b5-a075-4029-8c2c-2c6264c490d5 (could not be opened; the same remarks are in three other reports above).
  • This is a record of what was checked on 2026-09-04, not a claim that no statement exists anywhere.

Also in this race

  1. ? Matt Dunlap (Democrat)

All Maine candidates.

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.