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

Jen Kiggans

Republican · U.S. House, Virginia District 2
✗Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes

Kiggans voted to force delivery of paused weapons, saying that "by choosing to withhold this critical military aid and creating daylight between us and our closest ally in the Middle East, the Biden administration has led our adversaries to believe that we are willing to abandon our friends."

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Deep Dive

Kiggans represents Virginia's 2nd District, a Navy-heavy Hampton Roads seat, and is running for re-election.

Her clearest position-band act is the May 2024 vote on legislation responding to the paused munitions shipment. Local coverage quotes her: "I am proud to vote in favor of legislation that solidifies America's commitment to Israel. By choosing to withhold this critical military aid and creating daylight between us and our closest ally in the Middle East, the Biden administration has led our adversaries to believe that we are willing to abandon our friends." The bill would have withheld funds from the Defense and State Departments until suspended defense articles were delivered.

On the April 2024 supplemental she framed her vote around inaction rather than the aid itself: "Every day we fail to get aid to our allies, the world grows more dangerous and threats to our own nation and military increase... I refuse to sit by as the world implodes due to Washington's inaction."

After a trip to Israel she told the House: "Israel is, and always will be, our closest ally in the Middle East. The devastation of the October 7th attacks verified this war was unprovoked and Hamas must be eliminated. We must do everything in our power to provide Israel with the support they need to defend themselves."

Nothing was located on U.S. aid to Palestinians as a policy question.

The record

Supported sending weapons or funding in 6 of 6 tracked votes · Backs 0 of 1 tracked bills to restrict weapons transfers

Committees

House Committee on Armed Services

Floor votes
H.R. 6126 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act2023-11-02 · Passed 226-196
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 7217 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 20242024-02-06 · Failed 250-180 (needed 2/3 under suspension)
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 8034 - Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 20242024-04-20 · Passed 366-58
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 8369 - Israel Security Assistance Support Act2024-05-16 · Passed 224-187
✗ Voted Yes
supported sending it
H.R. 8595 - Massie amendment (Part A No. 8) to bar FY27 funds for Israel and cut $3.3B in Foreign Military Financing2026-07-15 · Failed 104-314
✗ Voted No
voted against limiting it
H.Amdt. 55 to H.R. 4016 - strike $500M for Israeli Cooperative Programs2025-07-18 · Failed 6-422 (only 6 voted to cut)
✗ Voted No
voted against limiting it
Bill sponsorship
H.R. 3565 - Block the Bombs ActWould bar transfer of 2,000-lb/BLU-109 bunker busters, JDAMs, 120mm tank rounds, and 155mm artillery shells to Israel. Does not affect Iron
Not sponsoringhas not backed this restriction bill
H.R. 1229 - United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025Formalizes/expands bilateral defense cooperation with Israel.
Co-sponsorbacks this bill to send more support
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.

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

Targeted with $966K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (2022, 2026); $19K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track

Lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
AIPAC PAC: $11,000 · Republican Jewish Coalition: $7,500
Support-only OpenFEC data (as of 2026-10-03). Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.
Who these lobbying groups are
AIPAC$11,000The American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.Republican Jewish Coalition$7,500The Republican Jewish Coalition's PAC; it financially supports Republican candidates who reflect its priorities, including strong U.S. backing of the government of Israel.Direct contributions and independent expenditures supporting this candidate from the five lobbying groups we track, every cycle each has filed, through 2026. Excludes earmarked and conduit contributions.
Money spent against them
Independent expenditures opposing this candidate: advertising and other spending made to defeat them, without the candidate's involvement or consent. DMFI reported 3 independent expenditures opposing this candidate, 2022-10-07 to 2026-09-28, totalling $966K. This counts only the five lobbying groups we track, so it is a floor on what was spent against this candidate, not a total. Each expenditure is counted because the committee itself named this candidate as the target on its FEC filing. These lobbying groups often spend along party lines, or to protect an incumbent they back, so this is not by itself a reading of the candidate's position.
Endorsed by AIPAC +1 more
AIPACThe American Israel Public Affairs Committee; its PAC backs candidates it sees as strengthening U.S. ties with the government of Israel, including continued U.S. military aid.Republican Jewish CoalitionThe Republican Jewish Coalition's PAC; it financially supports Republican candidates who reflect its priorities, including strong U.S. backing of the government of Israel.These endorsements come from groups that back sending U.S. weapons and funding to the government of Israel.

In their words

“By choosing to withhold this critical military aid and creating daylight between us and our closest ally in the Middle East, the Biden administration has led our adversaries to believe that we are willing to abandon our friends.”
Source ↗, 2024-05-18
“Israel is, and always will be, our closest ally in the Middle East. The devastation of the October 7th attacks verified this war was unprovoked and Hamas must be eliminated.”
Source ↗, 2024-04-12
Endorsements

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, 2024-05-18] Shore Daily News, opened and confirmed word for word: "I am proud to vote in favor of legislation that solidifies America's commitment to Israel," said Congresswoman Kiggans. "By choosing to withhold this critical military aid and creating daylight between us and our closest ally in the Middle East, the Biden administration has led our adversaries to believe that we are willing to abandon our friends. I will continue to do everything in my power to equip Israel with the resources..." The report also lists what the bill would do: withhold funds from the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State and the National Security Council until suspended defense articles are delivered; condemn the decision to pause arms; and require a report on actions taken to withhold security assistance.
  • [Position, 2024-04-20] Her statement on the three security supplementals, confirmed verbatim: the release records votes for H.R. 8034 (Israel), H.R. 8035 (Ukraine) and H.R. 8036 (Indo-Pacific), and quotes her: "Every day we fail to get aid to our allies, the world grows more dangerous and threats to our own nation and military increase. Our adversaries are watching while we struggle to support our friends. I refuse to sit by as the world implodes due to Washington's inaction."
  • [Position, 2024-04-12] House floor remarks after a trip to Israel, confirmed verbatim: "Israel is, and always will be, our closest ally in the Middle East. The devastation of the October 7th attacks verified this war was unprovoked and Hamas must be eliminated. We must do everything in our power to provide Israel with the support they need to defend themselves."
  • [After October 7, 2023-10-11] Statement committing to provide military, intelligence and humanitarian aid. From the weeks right after October 7; not used on the card.
  • Her 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 located on U.S. humanitarian funding, UNRWA or the aid pipeline. Her October 2023 statement mentions humanitarian aid alongside military and intelligence aid, but that is from the weeks right after October 7 and not a policy position on our research.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, 2024-04-12] "Hamas must be eliminated"; the war was "unprovoked" (confirmed, above).
  • [After October 7, 2023-10-11] Called the attack "unprovoked" and "barbaric."
  • [After October 7, 2024-01-25] Co-introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning Hamas's use of rape and sexual violence as "crimes against humanity" (Rep. Frankel's release on the same resolution).
  • [Position, 2026-01-27] Commented on the return of Israeli hostages, describing a "bittersweet reminder of the heavy cost of conflict" (her campaign page; login-walled, as found).

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • The research returned 13News Now coverage of Virginia leaders responding to a UVA student group's statement. Coverage of others' reactions; consulted only.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • Nothing distinct located beyond the sexual-violence resolution above.

Also in this race

  1. ✗ Elaine G. Luria (Democrat)
  2. – Bishop Staten (Independent)
  3. ? J. Matt Baker (Independent)

All Virginia 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.