But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Russell Fry
- Backed with $20K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC
Fry voted for every tracked aid bill and against both amendments to cut aid to Israel. After visiting Israel in April 2024 he co-led 17 Republicans urging “unwavering support to Israel”, and sponsored the resolution marking one year since Hamas’s “savage attack”. He co-sponsored the Antisemitism Awareness Act.
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Deep Dive
Fry has represented South Carolina’s 7th District since 2023. 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 April 2024, after returning from a congressional delegation visit to Israel, he co-led a letter with 16 Republican colleagues urging the administration to "provide unwavering support to Israel in order to defeat these terrorists and ensure the safe release of hostages", describing the "devastating destruction" he had witnessed. On the first anniversary of October 7, he sponsored H.Res. 1533 reaffirming U.S. support for Israel, his release calling Hamas’s assault a "savage attack" that killed over 1,000 people and demanding the hostages’ return.
He co-sponsored H.Res. 346 reaffirming Israel’s right to self-defense and the Antisemitism Awareness Act directing the Education Department to consider the IHRA definition in civil-rights enforcement; his quoted April 2024 floor advocacy for the act rests on an unretrieved news source and stays as reported, not confirmed directly. A 2023 NDAA release highlighted security cooperation with allies including Israel. AIPAC’s tracked support appears as a badge on this card.
Nothing located has him addressing U.S. aid to Palestinians as a distinct question.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes
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
$20K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
AIPAC (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.
- [Action, 2024-04-11] The delegation-visit letter release, verified and quoted on the card.
- [Context, 2023-07-14] The NDAA release highlighting ally security cooperation including Israel; his own release.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Nothing located at any date.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2024-10-07] The anniversary release and H.Res. 1533 sponsorship, verified and quoted on the card.
- [Action] H.Res. 346 co-sponsorship (Israel’s right to self-defense), per bill trackers; reported, not confirmed directly.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- Tracked committee support appears as a badge on this card.
- [Action, post-2023-10] A letter via Sen. Cassidy’s office condemning groups celebrating violent antisemitism; the source is a Senate-site PDF, reported, not confirmed directly, and its date sits near that period.
Safety and antisemitism
- [Action] The Antisemitism Awareness Act co-sponsorship, per LegiScan; reported, not confirmed directly.
- [Reported, 2024-04-30] His floor quote urging passage ("It is long past time that Congress act to protect Jewish Americans..."); the offered PBS source could not be retrieved, reported, not confirmed directly.
Race and status context
- Sitting member, nominated. His Democratic challenger’s card carries its own record.
Also in this race
- –No Position Found John Gregory Vincent (Democrat)
All South Carolina candidates.
See everyone on the South Carolina 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.