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

Jonny Larsen

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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.

No recorded votes on the bills we track. We found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.

Nothing located that could be read has Larsen taking a position on U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel, or on U.S. aid to Palestinians. A May 2025 Facebook post of his, reported to criticize overseas spending and attacks on Palestinian civilians, could not be opened.

✉ Email the campaign Website ↗X ↗Facebook ↗

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Deep Dive

Larsen, a Marine Corps combat veteran, is the Democratic nominee in Utah’s 4th District, challenging Rep. Mike Kennedy.

A May 2025 post on his Facebook page is reported to criticize billions spent on overseas conflicts while Americans struggle, to describe atrocities against Palestinian women and children, and to accuse leaders of redefining antisemitism to justify their policies. The post could not be opened, so none of it is quoted or relied on here. His campaign site carries none of it.

His campaign newsletter of July 27, 2026 attacks Kennedy for voting for war funding, but the war it describes is the one over which Congress had just voted on a War Powers Resolution, with four American service members killed that month and gas and oil prices rising. The newsletter never mentions Israel, Gaza or Palestinians, so it is not a position on what the United States sends to the government of Israel.

You are better placed to change this than we are. Ask Larsen directly 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

Nothing located in a source that could be read.
[Not confirmed, 2025-05-15] A post on his own Facebook page reported to criticize billions poured into overseas conflicts while Americans struggle, and to accuse leaders of a reflexive prioritization of foreign interests. The post could not be opened; nothing from it is quoted or used on the card.
[2026-07-27; out of scope] His campaign newsletter "FIELD REPORT: Week of July 26th" (the Mailchimp archive copy, listed in his campaign site's newsletter index under that date), headed "Mike Kennedy voted for $94 Billion to continue the war and gas is over $4/gallon". Its text: "Mike Kennedy, along with the rest of our Congressional delegation, voted NAY on the War Powers Resolution. My heart aches for the families of the four American service members who paid the ultimate price for our country this month." And: "The day before, they voted in favor of a $95 billion blueprint to increase funding for the war. That war has Utah's average gas price above $4 a gallon and the price of oil above $100 a barrel." The newsletter never mentions Israel, Gaza or Palestinians. It is about a war in which American service members were killed and a War Powers vote, not about what the United States sends to the government of Israel, and it is not used on the card.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

Nothing located at any date.

Characterization of the conflict

[Not confirmed, 2025-05-15] The same Facebook post is reported to describe atrocities being committed against innocent Palestinian women and children. Could not be opened; not quoted.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

Nothing located; no tracked committee support.

Safety and antisemitism

[Not confirmed, 2025-05-15] The same post is reported to charge that leaders were redefining terms like antisemitism to justify their policies. Could not be opened; not quoted.

Race and status context

Democratic nominee against Rep. Mike Kennedy, whose card carries its own record. His campaign site confirms identity.

Also in this race

✗ Mike Kennedy (Republican)
– Taylor Wright (Libertarian)
– Steven Burt (Other)

All Utah candidates.