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

Johnny Garrett

Republican · U.S. House, Tennessee District 6
✗From their own words
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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No recorded votes on the bills we track. In their own words on August 12, 2026.

Garrett's campaign platform says he will work with President Trump to "ensure Israel has every available resource to defend itself against radical Islamic terrorists" and that "the United States has a moral obligation to protect Israel and protecting Israel protects our interests in the Middle East."

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Deep Dive

Garrett is a Tennessee state representative and House Majority Whip who won the Republican primary for Tennessee's 6th District on August 6, 2026.

His campaign platform, read in full, states: "Johnny believes Israel has a fundamental right to defend itself against terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the world's largest state sponsor of terror, Iran. The United States has a moral obligation to protect Israel and protecting Israel protects our interests in the Middle East. President Trump made us proud when he kept the long-made promise to Israel to move our Embassy to Jerusalem." It adds: "Johnny will work with President Trump to ensure Israel has every available resource to defend itself against radical Islamic terrorists."

As a state legislator, his April 2025 Capitol Report newsletter highlighted Tennessee proposals titled "Combating antisemitism," noting they distinguished legitimate criticism of Israel from antisemitism. He has no located statement on U.S. aid to Palestinians.

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

“Johnny will work with President Trump to ensure Israel has every available resource to defend itself against radical Islamic terrorists.”
Source ↗, 2026-08-12
“The United States has a moral obligation to protect Israel and protecting Israel protects our interests in the Middle East.”
Source ↗, 2026-08-12

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, published 2026-08-12] His live campaign platform: "Johnny will work with President Trump to ensure Israel has every available resource to defend itself against radical Islamic terrorists." Opened and confirmed word for word. A campaign-platform statement counts as the campaign's statement.
  • He has no federal voting record; he serves in the Tennessee House (District 45).

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • No statement or documented position found by the research.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, published 2026-08-12] Platform, same page, confirmed verbatim: "Johnny believes Israel has a fundamental right to defend itself against terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the world's largest state sponsor of terror, Iran. The United States has a moral obligation to protect Israel and protecting Israel protects our interests in the Middle East." Campaign messaging also characterizes Israel as "our strongest ally in the Middle East", as reported (Ballotpedia profile).

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [Position, published 2026-08-12] Platform, confirmed: "President Trump made us proud when he kept the long-made promise to Israel to move our Embassy to Jerusalem."
  • [2025-02, reported] Social media criticism of Rep. Ilhan Omar ("Fraud First-America Last") tied to state legislation on party nomination standards. The found source is a Simon Wiesenthal Center Facebook post, which is an advocacy organization's petition post and does not carry Garrett's words; recorded as unconfirmed.
  • No public record found on pro-Israel lobbying groups or PACs.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • [2025-04-11] His Capitol Report newsletter highlighted Tennessee legislative proposals titled "Combating antisemitism," protecting Jewish communities while clarifying that legitimate criticism of Israel is distinct from antisemitism.

Consulted

Also in this race

  1. ✓ Mike Croley (Democrat)
  2. ✓ Angus Purdy (Independent)
  3. – Christopher B. Monday (Independent)

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.