But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check

David Russ

Republican · U.S. House, Oregon District 6
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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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Two reviewers, reading the public record as a whole, agree: Answering a 2024 voter-guide survey question about the alliance with Israel, he wrote that allies "are our allies as long as there is a return on the investment", without saying where he stands on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Reviewed by hand on 2026-10-09. This candidate has no recorded tracked floor votes.

Russ’s own site reposts his 2024 survey answers: no special priority for any single alliance, with allies kept “as long as there is a return on the investment”, and U.S. military involvement reserved for direct security concerns. Nothing located from his 2026 campaign on any tracked topic.

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Deep Dive

Russ, the former mayor of Dundee, is the Republican nominee in Oregon’s 6th District, challenging Rep. Andrea Salinas.

His located record is his 2024 iVoterGuide survey, reposted on his own campaign site, a prior cycle carried with its cycle stated. Asked about the Israel alliance, he declined to prioritize it over other partnerships and wrote (as the page renders it): "All be allies are our allies as long as there is a return on the investment." His framework for foreign military involvement requires a direct U.S. security concern.

That is a general alliances doctrine, not an Israel position, and the card does not convert it: he takes no located stance on aid to Israel, aid to Palestinians, the conflict, or antisemitism at any date, in either cycle.

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

“All be allies are our allies as long as there is a return on the investment.”
Source ↗, 2024-03-30

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

  • Nothing located at any date.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • Nothing located at any date.

Characterization of the conflict

  • Nothing located at any date.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [Prior cycle, 2024-03-30] The iVoterGuide survey reposted on his own site, verified: the return-on-investment allies doctrine and his argument against elevating any single ally’s relationship. A general doctrine, not converted into Israel positions.
  • No tracked committee support.

Safety and antisemitism

  • Nothing located at any date.

Race and status context

  • Republican nominee against Rep. Andrea Salinas, whose card carries a detailed record.

Also in this race

  1. ? Andrea Salinas (Democrat)

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.