But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Alissa Ellman
Democrat · U.S. House, New York District 24
✓Opposes
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.
Two reviewers, reading the public record as a whole, agree: At the debate she said she would not fund anything to do with Israel's war, that Israel should pay for its own war, and that she backs the Block the Bombs Act, with nothing in her words keeping any weapons flowing. Reviewed by hand on 2026-10-01. This candidate has no recorded tracked floor votes.
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.
Ellman is the Democratic nominee in New York’s 24th District. She is a former federal worker and won the primary on June 23, 2026.
At the Democratic primary debate in Batavia on June 9, 2026, the candidates were asked what they advocate for U.S.-Israel relations, given the U.S. record of military support and arms sales. The Batavian printed her answer: "So Israel has a higher GDP than Canada. Okay, they make billions of dollars, and I think if they want to wage a war, then they need to pay for that war. American citizens in our country do not have affordable health care, they do not have affordable housing. I would 100% support the Block the Bombs Act, which stops us from directly funding the bombs that are going to fight a proxy war with another country". She went on: "I don't think you get an exception to the rule. In my opinion, I would not fund anything that has to do with war in Israel." Later in the exchange she said the government of Israel "should be allowed to defend their own borders, but that does not include murdering children, and that does not include starving people, and it doesn't include leveling a place", and asked her opponent: "Are you going to vote to send money to Israel for bombs?"
A WBTA news brief summarized the same exchange: she "argued against funding military operations and criticized civilian casualties in Gaza," while her opponent, Diana Kastenbaum, said she would support defensive aid such as Iron Dome. In the printed exchange Ellman does not say what she thinks of Iron Dome itself, and this card does not say it for her.
Nothing else was located: no platform page, no statement on U.S. aid to Palestinians as a funding question, and nothing on antisemitism or community safety.
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
“So Israel has a higher GDP than Canada. Okay, they make billions of dollars, and I think if they want to wage a war, then they need to pay for that war.”
“I would 100% support the Block the Bombs Act, which stops us from directly funding the bombs that are going to fight a proxy war with another country”
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
2026-06-09 [Current position]: At the NY-24 Democratic primary debate at the Arc Community Center in Batavia, The Batavian (Joanne Beck, June 10, 2026) prints the question, "The U.S. has been a strong supporter of Israel since its founding, including military and arms sales. What do you advocate for U.S.-Israel relations at this point in time?", and her answer, which the report breaks with attributions: "So Israel has a higher GDP than Canada. Okay, they make billions of dollars, and I think if they want to wage a war, then they need to pay for that war. American citizens in our country do not have affordable health care, they do not have affordable housing. I would 100% support the Block the Bombs Act, which stops us from directly funding the bombs that are going to fight a proxy war with another country," then "And while I absolutely support Israel's right to exist and people's right to practice whatever religion that they want to, I am never going to be in support of killing children, starving people to death. It is always wrong, and I don't care which country does it", then "If it's our country, it's wrong. If it's Israel, it's wrong. If it's Russia, it's wrong. And I'm not going to back down on that," and then "I don't think you get an exception to the rule. In my opinion, I would not fund anything that has to do with war in Israel." Later she asked her opponent: "Are you going to vote to send money to Israel for bombs?"
2026-06-09 [Current position]: The same debate, as summarized in a WBTA news brief: "The most heated exchange came over U.S. support for Israel. Ellman argued against funding military operations and criticized civilian casualties in Gaza, while Kastenbaum supported a two-state solution and said she would support defensive aid such as Israel’s Iron Dome system." The brief paraphrases; The Batavian supplies her words.
⚠ **THE IRON DOME CONTRAST IS HER OPPONENT'S.** Support for defensive aid such as Iron Dome is Diana Kastenbaum's. Ellman's printed answer does not mention Iron Dome, so this card does not say what she thinks of it.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
Nothing located as a funding position. Her stated reasons for opposing military funding are the killing and starving of civilians in Gaza, which are reasons rather than a position on U.S. humanitarian money.
Characterization of the conflict
2026-06-09 [Current position]: In the same exchange: "I’m not married to any particular solution. What I know is right is right, and what I know is wrong is wrong, and I think that Israel absolutely has a right to exist," and "They do exist, and they should be allowed to defend their own borders, but that does not include murdering children, and that does not include starving people, and it doesn't include leveling a place. Eighty percent of Gaza is flat. I mean, can we not just say that that's wrong? Can we not say that?" (The Batavian).
Rhetoric and lobbying
Nothing located on Israel-related lobbying groups.
Safety and antisemitism
Nothing located on antisemitism or community safety for Jewish populations.
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.