But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Roy Cooper
- Backed with $7K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by DMFI PAC
Cooper's campaign says he "generally does not believe we should withhold aid from a critical ally like Israel," preferring diplomatic pressure for food access in Gaza over conditioning aid. He rejected his state party's push for an arms embargo and, as governor, signed North Carolina's antisemitism-definition law.
The email has replies@butwhatcanyoudo.org in cc, so we can post their answer on their page in their own words; remove it if you prefer. Keep the subject line as it is, add your name, and send.
You asked Roy Cooper where they stand.
Deep Dive
Cooper, North Carolina's governor from 2017 through 2024, is the Democratic Senate nominee. His aid position arrived with his Senate campaign: in August 2025 his campaign told Jewish Insider that he "generally does not believe we should withhold aid from a critical ally like Israel when they have to defend themselves against countries like Iran," that he "would consider the specific text of any bills that came before the Senate," and that he prefers other pressure on the Israeli government for humanitarian food access in Gaza and hostage negotiations rather than aid cutoffs. That summer he rejected North Carolina Democratic Party leadership efforts to pass resolutions accusing Israel of genocide and demanding an arms embargo.
His state record points the same direction: he signed the 2017 law divesting state funds from companies that boycott Israel, and in July 2024 signed the SHALOM Act, adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism into state law while saying free-speech protections remain. On the second anniversary of October 7 he called for the hostages' release and an end to "the death and destruction in Gaza," praying for all who have suffered in Israel and in Gaza.
The record
• Signed H161 / Session Law 2017-193, 'Divestment From Companies That Boycott Israel' (state pension divestment from, and contracting restrictions on, companies boycotting Israel), on July 27, 2017.
• Ordered all U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities to half-staff from October 12 to sunset October 19, 2023, 'in honor of North Carolina's steadfast commitment to supporting the State of Israel and in remembrance of the thousands of dead innocent civilians.'
• Through his Senate campaign, rejected efforts to withhold U.S. aid to Israel in August 2025, days after the Senate voted on legislation to block certain U.S. arms sales to Israel; the campaign said he 'generally does not believe we should withhold aid from a critical ally like Israel when they have to defend themselves against countries like Iran.' (Campaign statement to Jewish Insider, not a first-person Cooper quote.)
• Did not, so far as could be located, call for a ceasefire or for conditioning U.S. aid while governor, despite a November 2023 demand from a 30-organization coalition (letter dated Oct. 28, 2023) that he 'issue a statement calling for a ceasefire and an end to Palestinian genocide that billions of U.S. tax dollar are being used to fund.' NEGATIVE SEARCH: searches 'Roy Cooper ceasefire Gaza statement governor', '"Roy Cooper" Senate campaign 2026 Gaza Israel aid position ceasefire questionnaire', and review of Carolina Journal, NC Newsline, and muslimwomenfor.org coverage located the demand but no Cooper ceasefire or aid-conditioning statement; his Oct. 7, 2024 X post prayed 'for an end to this war' without a policy call. Not confirmed: this is an absence of evidence from these searches, not a confirmed refusal.
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 August 3, 2025; backed with $7K by DMFI (FEC filings); endorsed by DMFI PAC.
The money
$7K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
DMFI 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
- [Position, 2025-08-03] Campaign statement to Jewish Insider, read and verified verbatim: he "generally does not believe we should withhold aid from a critical ally like Israel when they have to defend themselves against countries like Iran"; "would consider the specific text of any bills that came before the Senate"; prefers pressure mechanisms for Gaza food access and hostage negotiations over aid cutoffs.
- [Position, 2025-07/08] Rejected NC Democratic Party leadership resolutions accusing Israel of genocide and demanding an arms embargo (same JI source; an NRSC attack page covers the same episode from the right; opposition source, context only).
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- [Position, 2025-08-03] The diplomatic-pressure-for-food-access position above: more humanitarian access to Gaza pursued through diplomacy, not through conditioning aid to the government of Israel. Both halves named.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Reaction window, 2023-10-12] His statement in the state's order lowering flags to half-staff through 2023-10-19: "I want to express my strong support and solidarity with the Israeli people in this dark time. The horrific, unspeakable terrorism perpetuated by Hamas targeting innocent civilians must be stopped and I pray for a swift end to this conflict." (the half-staff flag order). Not on the card summary.
- [Position, 2025-10-07] His second-anniversary post on X: "Two years after Hamas’ brutal attack on October 7th, we must continue working to release the hostages held by Hamas and end the death and destruction in Gaza. We pray for peace, for all who have suffered in Israel and in Gaza, and for an end to this war." The record's existing 2024-10-07 quote carries similar first-anniversary language.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Prior, 2017] Signed North Carolina's law divesting state funds from companies boycotting Israel (record's prior research).
- [Reaction window, 2023-10/11] A coalition of 30 Muslim and pro-Palestinian organizations criticized his statement as "one-sided" (Carolina Journal, Muslim Women For). Not on the card summary as an episode; retained as research context.
- DMFI support $7,401 this cycle is a badge; not restated.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [Position, 2024-05-14] Proclaimed Jewish American Heritage Month (governor.nc.gov).
- [Position, 2024-07-01] Signed HB 942, the SHALOM Act, adopting the IHRA definition into state law (AP, his release): defining antisemitism vital to stopping it, with free-speech protections maintained.
- [Position, 2026-01-27] International Holocaust Remembrance Day statement: pledged to keep fighting antisemitism in the Senate.
Also in this race
- ✗Supports Michael Whatley (Republican)
- –No Position Found Shannon Bray (Libertarian)
- ✓Opposes Michael Dublin (Green)
All North Carolina candidates.
See everyone on the North Carolina 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.