But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Josh Gottheimer
- Backed with $28K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC +1 more
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.
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You asked Josh Gottheimer where they stand.
Deep Dive
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" in a January 2024 JNS interview, 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.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes
• Introduced the 'Bunker Buster Act' three times (2022, 2024, 2025) with Rep. Mike Lawler to authorize the U.S. president to transfer 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs and delivery aircraft to Israel in the event Iran pursues a nuclear weapon.
• Sponsored the October 10, 2023 'Operation Swords of Iron' Iron Dome Appropriations Act and, in November 2023, was one of 12 House Democrats to vote for a $14.3 billion U.S. aid package to Israel.
• In May 2024, was one of 16 House Democrats who joined Republicans to pass the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, compelling the Biden administration to reverse its pause on transfers of 500- and 2,000-pound bombs to Israel; also led a May 10, 2024 letter of 26 House Democrats protesting the pause.
• Led efforts to cut and recover U.S. funding to UNRWA in 2024, arguing the agency is 'flawed to the core,' and introduced legislation with Rep. Brian Mast to recover $121 million sent to UNRWA before U.S. funding was suspended.
• Co-authored anti-boycott (anti-boycott) legislation with Rep. Mike Lawler (introduced May 2023, revived 2025) to expand U.S. anti-boycott law to block boycotts of Israel organized by international governmental organizations.
• In July 2026, was among the House members who opposed an amendment to eliminate all $3.3 billion in annual U.S. military aid to Israel; the amendment failed with 104 members voting for it.
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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Voted to send weapons or funding in more than half of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$28K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
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
- 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] His House release on reports that Congress might condition security aid to the government of Israel: "Any legislation that conditions security aid to our key democratic ally, Israel, is a nonstarter and will lose scores of votes." (his statement opposing conditions). Not on the card summary.
- [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. Not on the card summary.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- [Position, 2024-01-31] The UNRWA funding cuts he led. He told JNS in January 2024: "There’s overwhelming evidence that UNRWA was clearly flawed to the core."
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; 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
- ?Mixed Sean Kirrane (Republican)
- –Research Underway Adam Rueda (Other)
All New Jersey candidates.
See everyone on the New Jersey 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.