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 Wikstrom

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: Answering a November 2024 voter-guide question, he said "Our relationship with Israel is important to stability in the Mideast", 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.

Wikstrom, the Republican nominee against Rep. Betty McCollum, answered Yes in 2024 on the U.S.-Israel relationship’s importance but left the 2026 questionnaire’s Israel question unanswered. His August 2026 Facebook video attacks McCollum’s defense-spending record, including her Israel-aid restrictions.

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Your record on weapons and funding for the government of Israel [ref: mn4-wikstrom]

Dear Paul Wikstrom,

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]

Deep Dive

Wikstrom is the Republican nominee in Minnesota’s 4th District.

His questionnaire record spans two cycles: in his 2024 state-house iVoterGuide survey he answered Yes on whether the U.S. relationship with Israel is important, framing it around Middle East stability; in his 2026 federal survey he left the Israel question unanswered.

His campaign Facebook page was read directly (August 22, 2026): his August 2026 video post attacks Rep. McCollum’s defense record, "My opponent talks tough on Pentagon waste in public, yet she rakes in defense cash behind closed doors", with the research reporting the fuller post contrasts her opposition to Israel military aid over juvenile detention with alleged defense-contractor ties. The post is opposition messaging about the incumbent, carried as such rather than as an Israel position of his own.

No direct statement of his own on aid, the conflict, or antisemitism was located. Ask Wikstrom 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 2026-09-27) from the five lobbying groups we track; earlier cycles and earmarked donations not yet tracked.

Support-only OpenFEC data. Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.

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 his own position. [Prior cycle, 2024] The Yes answer on the relationship’s importance, per the 2024 questionnaire; [2026] the federal questionnaire leaves the Israel question unanswered.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

Nothing located at any date.

Characterization of the conflict

Nothing located at any date.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

[Opposition messaging, 2026-08-17] The Facebook video post, opening verified in a logged-in browser; an attack on the incumbent’s record, not a stance statement.
No tracked committee support.

Safety and antisemitism

Nothing located; his safety planks are local policing.

Sources retrieved for this card

Pages our search retrieved on 2026-08-21 (HTTP 200, naming the candidate) and read for this card; each is listed once, and those already cited above are not repeated.
[Retrieved 2026-08-21] ballotpedia.org/Paul_Wikstrom
[Retrieved 2026-08-21] mn.electionarchives.lib.umn.edu/paul-wikstrom

Race and status context

Republican nominee against Rep. Betty McCollum, whose card carries a detailed record.

Also in this race

? Betty McCollum (Democrat)

All Minnesota candidates.