Jocelyn Benson
Benson's record touching this issue is state-lane: a 2019 election-security delegation to Israel and Ramallah that drew criticism from Arab American groups, and a 2026 Jewish Democratic Council endorsement. No position was located on U.S. weapons, money, or aid in the conflict.
Benson is Michigan's Secretary of State and the Democratic nominee for governor. Her career is state election administration, and we found no statement from her on U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel or on aid to Palestinians.
Her one act in the region is from December 2019: a weeklong bipartisan secretaries-of-state delegation to Israel and the West Bank, organized with the American Jewish Committee's Project Interchange, focused on cybersecurity and election infrastructure; she met Israeli cyber authorities and Palestinian civic leaders in Ramallah. Arab American critics in Michigan objected to the trip at the time.
In the 2026 primary she was endorsed by the Jewish Democratic Council of America, which cited her record on civil rights and combating antisemitism, while some progressive and Arab American activists pressed her to condemn Israel's actions in Gaza, which she has not done. In 2023 she condemned antisemitic threats against Jewish state officials in Michigan.
Michigan's Democratic politics have made this issue unavoidable, and she has stayed in her lane. If you want her actual position, you are better placed to get it than we are: ask Benson directly and send us the reply.
Research
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- No statement, proposal, or action located; her career is state administration (searched 2026-08-09).
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Nothing located.
Characterization of the conflict
- Nothing located beyond the delegation context below; she has not issued statements on the conflict's political or territorial dimensions.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Prior, 2019-12-16] NASS/AJC Project Interchange delegation to Israel and the West Bank (her office's release, bulletin): cybersecurity and election-infrastructure focus; met Israeli national cyber authorities and Palestinian civic and business leaders in Ramallah; her statement highlighted international cooperation on election security.
- [Prior, 2019-12-21] Criticism of the trip from Michigan Arab American commentary (Arab American News; a related Facebook post returned 400).
- [Position, 2026-08-07] Endorsed by the Jewish Democratic Council of America (endorsements page); the JDCA's companion piece on El-Sayed frames the group's 2026 Michigan choices; primary-dynamics coverage: Michigan Public, TPR, Detroit One Million.
- [Position, 2026-08, reported] Faced criticism from progressive and Arab American factions seeking public condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza; she has made no such statement.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [Prior, 2023-03-03] Condemned religious hate, antisemitism, and political violence after an armed extremist was arrested for death threats against Jewish state officials (WGVU).
- [Position, 2025-06-03, reported] Public-forum remarks on state leadership's responsibility to combat rising antisemitism and threats to public servants (Fox 2 video, not watched).
Also in this race: Donna Brandenburg (Other), Douglas Campbell (Green), Anthony Hudson (Libertarian), John James (Republican) · All Michigan 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.