But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Chris Backemeyer
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.
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Two reviewers, reading the public record as a whole, agree: In a May 2024 interview he noted a regional energy-and-water project was "unfortunately, on pause, given the Gaza conflict", 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.
Backemeyer, a career State Department official who coordinated Middle East assistance programs, has taken no located campaign positions on aid to Israel, aid to Palestinians, or the conflict. His campaign priorities page covers healthcare, costs, and national security without mentioning Israel.
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Also in this race
- ✗ Mike Flood (Republican)
- ✓ Nik Sandman (Libertarian)
- – Dan Hartong (Other)
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