Josh Gottheimer
Gottheimer led 26 Democrats against the 2024 pause on weapons shipments to Israel, backed the 2024 bill compelling deliveries, and has introduced the Bunker Buster Act three times to preserve Israel’s “qualitative military edge”. He voted for every aid bill and against both amendments to cut aid to Israel.
Gottheimer has represented New Jersey’s 5th District since 2017 and is a Problem Solvers Caucus vice-chair. His six recorded votes appear as badges on this card: Yes on all four tracked aid measures, No on both amendments to cut aid to Israel; in July 2026 he opposed the amendment to cut $3.3 billion from aid to Israel.
His aid record is legislative as much as rhetorical: he was one of 16 Democrats backing the 2024 mandate bill compelling weapons deliveries, and led 26 Democrats urging the White House to lift the 2024 pause, writing that public disputes with Israel "only emboldens our mutual enemies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other Iranian-backed proxies", verified on his site. A November 2023 statement is on the research page. The Bunker Buster Act with Rep. Lawler, introduced in 2022, 2024, and 2025, would authorize transferring 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrators to "Preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge", verified; the Iran rationale sits inside the bill’s own language. He has led efforts to cut and recover UNRWA funding, calling the agency "flawed to the core" per the existing record, and co-authored anti-boycott legislation expanding U.S. anti-boycott law.
On antisemitism he is similarly prolific: the resolution declaring the river-to-the-sea slogan antisemitic passed the House under his lead; he helps lead the Antisemitism Awareness Act; and in April 2026 he co-led the resolution condemning antisemitic rhetoric by online influencers: when influential voices "spread conspiracy theories, promote terrorism or dehumanize Jewish people, it fuels real-world violence and intimidation", verified via JNS. In June 2026 he condemned New York’s mayor for calling AIPAC "monsters", reportedly saying swapping AIPAC for Jews yields "the oldest antisemitic conspiracy theory in the books"; that quote rests on unretrieved carriers and stays reported. He hosted hostage Edan Alexander’s parents at the 2025 joint address. AIPAC’s tracked support appears as a badge on this card.
Tracked votes: backed sending U.S. weapons or funding to the government of Israel in 6 of 6 recorded votes.
Research
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- His recorded votes appear as badges on this card: Yes on H.R. 6126, H.R. 8034, H.R. 8369, and H.R. 7217; No on both amendments to cut aid to Israel.
- [Reaction window, 2023-11-18] The conditioning-is-a-nonstarter statement; receipted in the existing record from his own release. Off the card.
- [Action, 2024-05] The 26-Democrat letter, verified and quoted in the deep dive.
- [Action, 2022/2024/2025] The Bunker Buster Act, verified; Iran rationale inside the bill’s language, research page for the Iran framing.
- [Action, 2026-06] Amendments on a joint U.S.-Israel defense innovation unit and a contractor anti-boycott certification, per a legislative round-up the research marks uncorroborated; reported, not confirmed directly.
- [Reaction window, October 2023] His Iron Dome appropriations bill sponsorship. Off the card.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- [Position, 2024] The UNRWA funding cuts he led, with the flawed-to-the-core characterization; receipted in the existing record.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Action, 2024-10-07] The 136-member anniversary resolution he co-led, per his release.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Reported, 2026-06-22] The Mamdani condemnation ("Swap ‘AIPAC’ for ‘Jews’..."); JNS/CNN/NBC carriers did not yield the quote to an automated reader; reported, not confirmed directly.
- [Action, 2025-03-03] Hosting Edan Alexander’s parents at the joint address, per his release.
- Tracked committee support appears as a badge on this card.
Safety and antisemitism
- [Action, 2024-04] The river-to-the-sea resolution, verified by his release; his eradication characterization of the slogan is his own quoted framing.
- [Action, 2026-04-29] The online-influencers resolution, verified and quoted in the deep dive.
- [Actions] The Antisemitism Awareness Act reintroduction, the Rutgers and Columbia campus interventions, per his releases and campus press; reported by listing.
Race and status context
- Sitting member, nominated. His Republican challenger’s card carries its own record.
Also in this race: Sean Kirrane (Republican) · All New Jersey candidates.
See the full record →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 the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.