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

Dennis Clark

Independent · U.S. House, Tennessee District 9
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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.

See a dash? Ask the candidate where they stand, then send us their answer and we'll review it and update the mark. Or volunteer to help review candidates.

Two reviewers, reading the public record as a whole, agree: In an August 2026 comment on a Facebook news post he wrote "Israel FIRST...then, the pipelines to Tennessee prisons", 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.

No formal position from Clark on U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel was located (source-checked research). His only located remarks are brief social-media comments from summer 2026 criticizing what he calls Israel-first priorities over domestic needs.

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Deep Dive

Clark is an Independent candidate for Tennessee's 9th District; he ran for the same seat in 2022 and 2024.

The research found no policy statements, platform materials, or records detailing a position on U.S. military aid, assistance packages, or weapons transfers to Israel. What it found are two brief comments on Memphis news threads: on July 27, 2026 he referred to local political figures as the "ISRAEL FIRST crew," and on August 3, 2026, on a post about state education legislation, he wrote "Israel FIRST...then, the pipelines to Tennessee prisons...." Both comments sit on login-walled Facebook pages and could not be opened, so they are given as reported by the research; both express frustration at foreign priorities over domestic ones rather than a stated position on aid.

You are better placed to get his actual position than we are: ask Clark directly, or at a candidate forum, and send us the reply. It goes on this page in his own words.

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.

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

  • No official policy statements, formal campaign platform materials, or records detailing a position on U.S. military aid, foreign assistance, or weapons transfers to Israel.
  • [Position, 2026-08-03, unverified source] Comment on a WMC Action News 5 post about education legislation: "Israel FIRST...then, the pipelines to Tennessee prisons...." Login-walled; as found.
  • He has no federal voting record.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • No statement or documented position found by the research.

Characterization of the conflict

  • No formal speeches, papers, or statements characterizing the conflict.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [Position, 2026-07-27, unverified source] Comment on a WMC broadcast thread referring to local figures and media as the "ISRAEL FIRST crew." Login-walled; as found.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • No public policy statements, platform positions, or documented actions found.

Consulted

Also in this race

  1. ? Brent Taylor (Republican)
  2. ✓ Justin J. Pearson (Democrat)
  3. – Michelle Davis Head (Independent)

All Tennessee candidates.

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.