But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Tom Kean
- Backed with $38K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC +1 more
- Sits on House Foreign Affairs
Kean voted for the April 2024 supplementals, saying they "provide much needed defense assistance to our allies and partners overseas" and send "a strong message of our unwavering commitment to democracy and freedom across the world."
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Deep Dive
Kean has represented New Jersey's 7th District since 2023 and chairs the Europe Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
His April 2024 statement records that he voted yes on the Israel, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific supplementals and on the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act: "These critical security supplemental bills provide much needed defense assistance to our allies and partners overseas. Time is of the essence for the United States to address the enduring threat posed by the evil alliance of Russia, China, and Iran. The House of Representatives is sending a strong message of our unwavering commitment to democracy and freedom across the world." The release notes he spoke on the House floor for the Israel supplemental.
That statement is framed around allies and adversaries generally rather than around Israel specifically, and it is the fullest located statement of his on U.S. assistance.
His other located items are about the war rather than the aid: statements on the January 2025 ceasefire, the second anniversary of the October 7 attack, and the October 2025 agreement. In 2020, running for Congress, his campaign published a position paper on Israel.
He has also worked on domestic antisemitism, hosting a roundtable in May 2024.
His recorded votes appear as badges on this card. No statement was located from him on conditioning U.S. transfers, or on U.S. humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
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
$38K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
AIPAC (2026 endorsement) · Republican Jewish Coalition (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, 2024-04-20] His statement on the passage of the security supplemental bills, opened and confirmed word for word. The release records that he "issued the following statement after voting YES on the three supplemental bills: the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, and H.R. 8038, the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act." His words: "I applaud the passage of the three supplemental bills and H.R. 8038... These critical security supplemental bills provide much needed defense assistance to our allies and partners overseas. Time is of the essence for the United States to address the enduring threat posed by the evil alliance of Russia, China, and Iran. The House of Representatives is sending a strong message of our unwavering commitment to democracy and freedom across the world." It also records that he spoke on the floor in support of the Israel supplemental.
**Note the framing**: the statement is about allies and adversaries in general and does not single out Israel, which is why the card quotes it as what it is rather than as a statement about Israel specifically.
- **No statement located** on conditioning, withholding or restricting U.S. transfers to Israel.
- [Prior, 2020] His 2020 campaign published a position paper on Israel, cited twice by the research as a PDF hosted by Jewish Insider, and a 2020 campaign page cited twice. Six years old, prior band, and campaign material from a previous cycle. Not opened.
- His recorded votes appear as badges on this card.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- No statement or documented position located.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2025-01-16] Statement on the reported ceasefire deal, also carried by WRNJ Radio. Not opened.
- [Position, 2025-10-07] WRNJ Radio on his marking two years since the attack and calling for the hostages' release, cited three times. Not opened.
- [Position, 2025-10-09] Statement on the peace deal, cited twice. Not opened.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- Nothing located beyond the 2020 campaign material above.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- [After October 7, 2023-11-02] Co-sponsored resolution condemning antisemitism on college campuses, cited twice. From the weeks right after October 7; safety context.
- [Position, 2024-05-14] Hosted a roundtable on combatting antisemitism, with JNS coverage. Safety context, never an answer about U.S. weapons or funding.
Note on sources
- Twenty-five entries and heavy duplication: **five separate items are cited two or three times each**, and **six are unlabelled YouTube videos**. One is a community listings page. The card rests on the one dated release that was opened.
Also in this race
- ?Mixed Rebecca Bennett (Democrat)
- –Research Underway Seamus O'Toole (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.