But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Denise Powell
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: In an April 2026 voter-guide response she says she is "dedicated to protecting the U.S.-Israel relationship" and wants to "ensure that humanitarian aid can flow into Gaza and that the ceasefire holds", which points both ways. Reviewed by hand on 2026-10-09. This candidate has no recorded tracked floor votes.
In the 2026 Jewish Federation of Omaha voter guide, Powell wrote she is “dedicated to protecting the U.S.-Israel relationship”, that “the first steps must be to ensure that humanitarian aid can flow into Gaza and that the ceasefire holds”, and backed a two-state solution. She disavowed Israel-focused outside groups.
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 Denise Powell where they stand.
Also in this race
- ✗ Brinker Harding (Republican)
- – Eric Michael Foreman (Libertarian)
All Nebraska candidates.
See everyone on the Nebraska ballot →