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

Don Davis

Democrat · U.S. House, North Carolina District 1
✗Supported sending weapons or funding in 5 of 5 tracked votes

Davis co-authored a March 2024 op-ed against "attaching any strings to assistance" for the government of Israel, arguing the United States "must do our utmost to ensure Israel has everything it needs". In 2026 he introduced a bill deepening U.S.-Israel defense cooperation.

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Deep Dive

Davis represents North Carolina's 1st District and is running for re-election.

The clearest statement of his position is an op-ed he co-authored in March 2024 with Rep. August Pfluger and Michael Makovsky, who heads the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, published in the Washington Examiner under the title "Conditioning U.S. Aid to Israel Would Be a Mistake". It argues against "attaching any strings to assistance for our strongest ally in the Middle East", that "we therefore must do our utmost to ensure Israel has everything it needs to prevail in this conflict", and that strong U.S. support for Israel "will make Israelis and Palestinians safer." The wording is the three authors' jointly.

In February 2026 he and Rep. Ronny Jackson introduced H.R. 7540, the United States-Israel FUTURES Act, to establish a joint defense technology initiative. His own words: "As emerging threats like unmanned systems and electronic warfare evolve, technical cooperation stands as a critical pillar in preparing our servicemembers for the challenges of tomorrow."

In May 2024 he was one of 26 House Democrats who signed a letter urging delivery of the weapons shipments to the government of Israel that the administration had withheld.

His recorded votes appear as badges on this card. On the July 2026 amendment that would have denied fiscal 2027 funds to the government of Israel and cut Foreign Military Financing, WFAE reported he did not vote.

The record

Supported sending weapons or funding in 5 of 5 tracked votes

Committees

House Committee on Armed Services

Floor votes
H.R. 6126 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act2023-11-02 · Passed 226-196
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 8034 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 20242024-04-20 · Passed 366-58
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 8369 - Israel Security Assistance Support Act2024-05-16 · Passed 224-187
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 7217 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 20242024-02-06 · Failed 250-180 (needed 2/3 under suspension)
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.Amdt. 55 to H.R. 4016 - strike $500M for Israeli Cooperative Programs2025-07-18 · Failed 6-422 (only 6 voted to cut)
✗ Voted No
voted against limiting it
H.R. 8595 - Massie amendment (Part A No. 8) to bar FY27 funds for Israel and cut $3.3B in Foreign Military Financing2026-07-15 · Failed 104-314
– Did not vote
Bill sponsorship
H.R. 3565 - Block the Bombs ActWould bar transfer of 2,000-lb/BLU-109 bunker busters, JDAMs, 120mm tank rounds, and 155mm artillery shells to Israel. Does not affect Iron
Not sponsoringhas not backed this restriction bill
H.R. 1229 - United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025Formalizes/expands bilateral defense cooperation with Israel.
Co-sponsorbacks this bill to send more support
Notable actions

• Co-authored a March 2024 op-ed against conditioning U.S. aid to the government of Israel. Signed a May 2024 letter with 25 other House Democrats objecting to the administration's withholding of weapons shipments to the government of Israel. Visited Israel on a week-long congressional delegation in August 2023, meeting Israeli leaders and the Palestinian Authority prime minister. Co-introduced the United States-Israel FUTURES Act in February 2026.

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.

Voted to send weapons or funding in more than half of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 5 of 5 tracked votes.)

The money

$2.2M in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track

Career signals
Endorsed by a group we track that supports U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel
Lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
AIPAC PAC: $27,900 · United Democracy Project: $2,102,637.82 · DMFI: $101,240
Support-only OpenFEC data (as of 2026-10-03). Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.
Who these lobbying groups are
AIPAC$27,900The American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.United Democracy Project$2,102,637.82A super PAC founded by AIPAC in 2022; it spends independently to support candidates aligned with AIPAC's positions and to oppose those who are not.DMFI PAC$101,240Democratic Majority for Israel's PAC; calls itself the home for pro-Israel Democrats and backs Democratic candidates who support a strong U.S. alliance with the government of Israel.Direct contributions and independent expenditures supporting this candidate from the five lobbying groups we track, every cycle each has filed, through 2026. Excludes earmarked and conduit contributions.
Endorsed by AIPAC +1 more
AIPACThe American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.DMFI PACDemocratic Majority for Israel's PAC; calls itself the home for pro-Israel Democrats and backs Democratic candidates who support a strong U.S. alliance with 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

“As emerging threats like unmanned systems and electronic warfare evolve, technical cooperation stands as a critical pillar in preparing our servicemembers for the challenges of tomorrow.”
Source ↗, 2026-02-19
Endorsements

AIPAC (2026 endorsement) · DMFI PAC (2026 endorsement)

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, 2024-03-27] "Conditioning U.S. Aid to Israel Would Be a Mistake", Washington Examiner, opened and confirmed word for word. The byline reads "Michael Makovsky, PhD and Rep. Don Davis and Rep. August Pfluger", so he is a named co-author and the position is his, but every sentence is the three authors' collective wording. Confirmed spans: proposals to condition aid should be rejected, "attaching any strings to assistance for our strongest ally in the Middle East"; "we should also recognize that Israel's victory against terrorism will be a victory against America's adversaries and that we therefore must do our utmost to ensure Israel has everything it needs to prevail in this conflict"; "It is strong U.S. support for Israel that will make Israelis and Palestinians safer"; and "It is Hamas, not Israel, that bears ultimate responsibility for the suffering and death in Gaza."

The op-ed quotes President Joe Biden calling proposals to condition aid "a gigantic mistake", and its closing paragraph takes the phrase up in the authors' own collective voice: "Conditioning aid to Israel would be a gigantic mistake." Like every sentence in the piece, that is the three authors' joint wording.

  • [Position, 2026-02-19] His release on H.R. 7540, opened and confirmed word for word. He and Rep. Ronny Jackson introduced the United States-Israel FUTURES Act of 2026, establishing a joint defense technology cooperation initiative; Sens. Ted Budd and Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the Senate companion. His words: "By establishing the United States–Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative, we are fortifying a vital partnership, accelerating joint development, and transforming groundbreaking research into operational capabilities," and "As emerging threats like unmanned systems and electronic warfare evolve, technical cooperation stands as a critical pillar in preparing our servicemembers for the challenges of tomorrow."
  • [Position, 2024-04-20] His April 2024 release on the security package, opened 2026-09-25, says he voted for all four of its bills, including the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act. His words: "At the same time, our allies Israel and Taiwan will now have the resources they need to defeat the world’s most extreme terrorists and our adversaries."
  • [Position, 2024-05-10] Signed a letter with 25 other House Democrats urging the administration to deliver the weapons shipments to the government of Israel it had withheld (Jerusalem Post, the lead sponsors' release). Both opened 2026-09-25 and list him among the signers. A 26-signatory letter, so no individual quote is drawn from it.
  • [Position, 2026-07-15] He did not vote on the Massie amendment to bar fiscal 2027 funds for the government of Israel and cut Foreign Military Financing (WFAE, 2026-07-20, opened and confirmed).
  • [Reaction window, 2023-11-15] WFAE's survey of North Carolina's Democrats, republished by BPR and opened 2026-09-25, quotes his statement after the House vote on Israel aid that month: "While I condemn House leaders for unprecedentedly tying conditional funds to security assistance, we must continue to stand together with our ally, Israel, and simultaneously call for the humane conduct of war consistent with international law." And his response to WFAE as of November 13: "We face pivotal international conflicts with grave national security implications, and we must provide Israel with the resources necessary to defend itself. Standing up to Hamas terrorists and upholding democracies around the world demands our unwavering commitment." From the weeks right after October 7; not used on the card.
  • His recorded votes appear as badges on this card.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • No distinct position located. The March 2024 op-ed addresses humanitarian assistance only to argue that Hamas has diverted it.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, 2024-03-27] The op-ed he co-authored describes Hamas as "genocidal" and "Iranian-backed", attributes ultimate responsibility for suffering in Gaza to Hamas, and describes the use of human shields as "not only a war crime but also a cynical ploy" (confirmed verbatim; collective wording).
  • [Position, 2026-03-11, unverified] Reported as having framed the conflict at public forums around regional instability driven by Iran and its proxy networks. No source for this could be found, so it is an unverified claim and is not on the card.
  • [Position, 2024-03-12, unverified] Reported as having called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held in Gaza. No source for this could be found (his House press releases from February to April 2024 carry no such statement), so it is an unverified claim and is not on the card.
  • [Earlier record, 2023-08-17] His August 2023 release on a week-long congressional delegation visit to Israel, opened 2026-09-25. He met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Knesset members and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. His words: "Instability and extremism continue to plague the Middle East. Regional stability and preserving democracy are in the American people's best interest. We must work to no end towards peace".

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [Earlier record, 2023-08-17] Joined the Congressional Abraham Accords Caucus, chaired by Rep. Brad Schneider, during that August 2023 visit, as his release on the visit says.
  • [Position, 2024-06-04] Voted to sanction the International Criminal Court, opened 2026-09-25: the release says H.R. 8282 would sanction the court and those "seeking to impose undue legal action on Israel and other American allies". His words: "Attempts by international courts to punish our allies for defending their very existence distract us from the true threats to our national security." About a court's actions, not what the United States sends.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • [Position, 2025-06-06] One of 41 lawmakers signing a letter to Meta, TikTok and X on violent antisemitic content (Jewish Insider's report on the letter). Group letter; safety context, never an answer about U.S. weapons or funding.

Also in this race

  1. ✗ Laurie Buckhout (Republican)
  2. – Tom Bailey (Libertarian)

All North Carolina 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.