But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check
Jennifer McClellan
- ✓ Backs 1 of 1 tracked bills to restrict weapons transfers
- Backed with $22K by PACs we track that support U.S. weapons funding for the government of Israel (lifetime)
McClellan said in April 2024 that Israel "has a right to defend itself" but "must do more to curb civilian casualties and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza." She has not said whether she would condition U.S. military aid to Israel.
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Deep Dive
McClellan represents Virginia's 4th District and is running for re-election.
Her position is stated in an April 2024 release: "Israel has a right to defend itself and neutralize the terrorists responsible for the October 7th attack, but it must do more to curb civilian casualties and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The ongoing deaths of civilians, including humanitarian aid workers, are tragic and unacceptable. Israel must take immediate steps to deconflict military operations and the delivery of humanitarian aid." She also urged Israel not to enter Rafah without a concrete plan to protect civilians.
What is missing is the aid question itself. Nothing located sets out whether she would condition or cut U.S. military aid to the government of Israel.
Her recorded votes on the tracked bills appear as badges on this card and are mixed. Without a statement from her about any of them, none is characterized here.
The record
Supported sending weapons or funding in 3 of 6 tracked votes · Backs 1 of 1 tracked bills to restrict weapons transfers
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 some, but no more than half, of their recorded tracked votes. (Supported sending weapons or funding in 3 of 6 tracked votes.)
The money
$22K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
In their words
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, 2024-04-12] Her statement on Israel and Gaza, opened and confirmed word for word: "Israel has a right to defend itself and neutralize the terrorists responsible for the October 7th attack, but it must do more to curb civilian casualties and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The ongoing deaths of civilians, including humanitarian aid workers, are tragic and unacceptable. Israel must take immediate steps to deconflict military operations and the delivery of humanitarian aid." The research adds that she urged Israel to avoid ground operations in Rafah without a concrete plan to protect civilians.
- [Non-answer, 2026-08-05, unverified source] The research records that in a television interview she "avoided explicitly taking a stance on whether the United States should condition or cut off defensive military aid to Israel, such as funding for the Iron Dome missile defense system, when questioned about broader Democratic debates on the topic." No usable source for the interview was in the sources found; the two adjacent items are a Breitbart tag page about a Michigan Senate candidate and a Jewish Democratic Council endorsements page, neither of which is that interview. **So the non-answer is reported and cannot be verified, and the card says only that she has not said.**
- Her recorded votes on the tracked bills appear as badges on this card. They are mixed, and no statement from her about any individual vote was located.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- [Position, 2024-04-12] The same statement is her clearest material on this direction: Israel "must do more to... facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza" and must "deconflict military operations and the delivery of humanitarian aid" (confirmed verbatim).
- [Position, 2025-07-26] Statement on the U.S. withdrawal from ceasefire negotiations. Not opened.
Characterization of the conflict
- [Position, 2024-10-07] Statement on the anniversary of the October 7 attack. Not opened.
- [Position, 2025-01-15] Statement on the ceasefire agreement. Not opened.
- [Position, 2025-06-20] Statement on escalating attacks between Israel and Iran. Not opened; about Iran.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- Listed among Jewish Democratic Council of America endorsements. An endorsing organization's page, not a statement of hers.
- ⚠ A Breitbart tag page for Abdul El-Sayed, a Michigan Senate candidate, was returned among her sources. Different person, different state, different race. Nothing from it is used. (The same Michigan primary turned up in Rep. Beyer's sources through a different outlet.)
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- Nothing distinct located.
Also in this race
- ✓Opposes Robert Murray Jr. (Republican)
- –No Position Found Joan Bell (Independent)
All Virginia candidates.
See everyone on the Virginia ballot →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.