But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Rob Wittman
- Backed with $26K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
- Endorsed by AIPAC +1 more
- Sits on House Armed Services
Wittman condemned the paused arms shipments in May 2024: "President Biden's decision to withhold critical arms shipments to Israel is an insult to our only true democratic ally in the Middle East." Nothing located on U.S. aid to Palestinians.
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Deep Dive
Wittman has represented Virginia's 1st District since 2007 and is vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. He faces Democrat Shannon Taylor in November.
In May 2024, when the Biden administration withheld arms shipments to the government of Israel, he condemned the decision: "President Biden's decision to withhold critical arms shipments to Israel is an insult to our only true democratic ally in the Middle East. It is more critical than ever that the United States supports Israel's right to defend itself and its mission to eliminate Hamas terrorists." He said he had "proudly voted for the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act last month to send urgent military aid to Israel". The statement ended: "The president must allow these arms shipments to proceed so that Israel can defend itself and defeat Hamas."
When the remaining Israeli hostages were released in October 2025, he posted that their release was "a monumental step toward ending the Israel-Hamas war" and credited "the tireless work of President Trump and his national security team". Nothing was located from him on U.S. aid to Palestinians.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes · Backs 0 of 1 tracked bills to restrict weapons transfers
House Committee on Armed Services
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
$26K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
AIPAC (2026 endorsement) · Republican Jewish Coalition (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
- [Position, 2024-05-09] Statement on the withheld arms shipments: "President Biden's decision to withhold critical arms shipments to Israel is an insult to our only true democratic ally in the Middle East. It is more critical than ever that the United States supports Israel's right to defend itself and its mission to eliminate Hamas terrorists." The same statement says: "I proudly voted for the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act last month to send urgent military aid to Israel." It ends: "The president must allow these arms shipments to proceed so that Israel can defend itself and defeat Hamas." LegiStorm carries a copy.
- [Reaction window, 2023-10-27] His column: "the Biden administration must expedite military aid to Israel in this time of crisis. I sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin — signed by 37 of my colleagues — to call on the administration to expedite foreign military sales to Israel that will support their self-defense." It asks for faster delivery of U.S. military aid to the government of Israel.
- His recorded votes on the tracked bills appear as badges on this card and align with the statements above.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- No statement or documented position found by the research.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2024-05-09] Called Israel "our only true democratic ally in the Middle East" and referred to "its mission to eliminate Hamas terrorists" (confirmed, above).
- [Position, 2025-10-13] His post on the hostage release: "Today is a historic day for the Middle East and the world. After two years, the remaining Israeli hostages have been released—a monumental step toward ending the Israel-Hamas war. Thanks to the tireless work of President Trump and his national security team, we are one step closer to securing a lasting peace in the region."
- [Earlier record, 2020-08-14] Statement on the Israel-UAE peace agreement. Prior band.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- [Position, 2024-05-03] At a lunch with members of Tidewater's Jewish community at the Sandler Family Campus, reported by Jewish News of Virginia on May 9, 2024, he said: "We have to make sure we are supportive of Israel. It means more than just words. It means consequences". He also said of campus protests: "This is not a spontaneous, organic effort on college campuses."
- [Position, 2025-06-13] His post on Israel's Iran strikes: "I stand with our democratic ally Israel as it takes decisive action to prevent Iran from ever obtaining nuclear weapons." It is about Iran, not about U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel.
- [Position, 2025-10-14] AIPAC's account thanked him "for standing with our ally Israel", quoting his hostage-release post. AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is a lobbying group that advocates for U.S. support for Israel. This is the group's post, not his.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- Nothing distinct located.
Also in this race
- ?Mixed Shannon L. Taylor (Democrat)
All Virginia candidates.
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