But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Rosie Pino
Republican · U.S. House, New Jersey District 9
?Mixed
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.
Reviewed by hand after the two reviewers read it differently: She wants Israel's security not to rely forever on U.S. taxpayers, yet says the alliance must be maintained and not cut, so her words point both ways. Reviewed by hand on 2026-10-01. This candidate has no recorded tracked floor votes.
Pino told a questionnaire that "under an America First policy, we prioritize stability that doesn't rely forever on U.S. taxpayers," backing the Abraham Accords so Israel and its neighbours "handle their own security." She also says the alliance must be maintained, "not cut."
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Pino is the Republican candidate for New Jersey's 9th District and a Clifton city councilwoman.
Her iVoterGuide answer is the most interesting thing on her record, because it is a pro-alliance answer that also questions open-ended American funding. Asked whether the U.S.-Israel relationship is important, she wrote: "Israel is a stable ally that shares our values and provides key intelligence. Under an America First policy, we prioritize stability that doesn't rely forever on U.S. taxpayers. By backing historic deals like the Abraham Accords, we help Israel and its neighbors handle their own security and trade. This protects our interests, respects the dignity of innocent citizens caught in the crossfire, and ensures our focus stays where it belongs: on our own country."
She has also stated the alliance plainly. In a July 2025 statement: "I support the State of Israel, its right to exist, and its right to defend itself," she added. "I believe that what happened on October 7th was a horrific and evil terrorist act by Hamas. Israel is a strong ally of the United States, and I believe we must maintain that alliance, not cut it." She added, "like President Trump, I support a ceasefire."
That statement was prompted by questions about her attendance at a Palestinian flag-raising in Clifton, which she explained: "The City of Clifton conducts more than a dozen flag raisings every year. As a Councilwoman, I attend as many of the flag raisings as I can. I attend the flag raisings to show that I care about the various communities in our city, not as a political nor ideological statement."
As a councilwoman she voted on a municipal resolution adopting a definition of antisemitism, citing concerns raised by local Arab and Palestinian residents.
She has no federal voting record.
The money
Checked the five lobbying groups we track; no direct 2026 support found
2026 support from the five lobbying groups we track
Nothing recorded (as of 2026-07-23) from the five lobbying groups we track; earlier cycles and earmarked donations not yet tracked.
Support-only OpenFEC data. Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.
In their words
“Under an America First policy, we prioritize stability that doesn't rely forever on U.S. taxpayers. By backing historic deals like the Abraham Accords, we help Israel and its neighbors handle their own security and trade.”
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, read 2026-08-12] Her iVoterGuide questionnaire, cited twice by the research and opened and confirmed word for word. Asked "Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?" she answered: "Israel is a stable ally that shares our values and provides key intelligence. Under an America First policy, we prioritize stability that doesn't rely forever on U.S. taxpayers. By backing historic deals like the Abraham Accords, we help Israel and its neighbors handle their own security and trade. This protects our interests, respects the dignity of innocent citizens caught in the crossfire, and ensures our focus stays where it belongs: on our own country." Undated form, read at this date.
**This is a genuinely two-sided answer and the card carries both halves**: a strong statement of the alliance's value, and an explicit preference for regional arrangements over indefinite reliance on U.S. taxpayers. It stops short of proposing any cut, and the card does not read one into it.
[Position, 2025-07-22] Her statement to Jewish Insider, cited twice and opened and confirmed word for word: "I support the State of Israel, its right to exist, and its right to defend itself... Israel is a strong ally of the United States, and I believe we must maintain that alliance, not cut it."
She has no federal voting record.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
No distinct position located. Her questionnaire answer refers to "the dignity of innocent citizens caught in the crossfire" without addressing U.S. assistance.
Characterization of the conflict
[Position, 2025-07-22] Confirmed verbatim: "I believe that what happened on October 7th was a horrific and evil terrorist act by Hamas." And: "Like President Trump, I support a ceasefire and an end to t[he war]" (the quotation continues beyond the opened extract and is not completed by inference).
[Position, 2025-06, reported] Attended a Palestinian flag-raising event in Clifton organised by the Palestinian American Community Center, and posted a video with the caption: "The Palestine Flag Raising event was more than a gathering. To everyone who showed up, spoke up, and raised their voices alongside the flag thank you. Your presence matters. Your solidarity matters." The source is a Facebook video; not readable, so recorded as reported.
[Position, 2025-07-22] Her explanation of that attendance, confirmed verbatim: "The City of Clifton conducts more than a dozen flag raisings every year. As a Councilwoman, I attend as many of the flag raisings as I can. I attend the flag raisings to show that I care about the various communities in our city, not as a political nor ideological statement."
Related rhetoric and lobbying
Nothing located naming any advocacy organisation.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
[Prior, 2023-07-18, reported] As a Clifton councilwoman and chair of its civil rights committee, she took part in the council's handling of a municipal resolution adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism, citing concerns raised by local Arabic and Palestinian community members, and voted to rescind rather than adopt it at municipal level (The Clifton Times, 6 July 2023 and 20 July 2023). Prior band; neither opened, so the account is the research's.
But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and
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