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

John J. McGuire III

Republican · U.S. House, Virginia District 5
✗Supported sending weapons or funding in 2 of 2 tracked votes

McGuire rejected fellow Republicans' efforts to block U.S. funding to Israel: "I do understand that [the U.S. is] $37 trillion in debt, but as a Christian, I certainly support Israel and the Jewish people." He told Netanyahu to "get the job done" in Gaza.

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Deep Dive

McGuire represents Virginia's 5th District, won in 2024 after defeating the incumbent in a primary, and is running for re-election.

He stated his position against members of his own party. In August 2025, asked about attempts by Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie to block all U.S. funding to Israel, he called them "outliers" in the GOP and said: "I do understand that [the U.S. is] $37 trillion in debt, but as a Christian, I certainly support Israel and the Jewish people, and as an ally we would not have been able to successfully do that mission against Iran without the help of Israel."

On the same congressional trip he reported advising Prime Minister Netanyahu to "get the job done" in Gaza, and said Israel must remain there until Hamas is defeated: "We want to get the hostages home, but if we don't finish the job, you're going to have more hostages."

His position predates his election. During the 2024 primary he attacked the then-incumbent for voting against emergency aid to Israel, saying that vote alone was reason enough to run against him.

Nothing was located from him on U.S. aid to Palestinians.

The record

Supported sending weapons or funding in 2 of 2 tracked votes · Backs 0 of 1 tracked bills to restrict weapons transfers

Committees

House Committee on Armed Services

Floor votes
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 2 of 2 tracked votes.)

The money

$25K in lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track

Lifetime support from the five lobbying groups we track
AIPAC PAC: $15,000 · Republican Jewish Coalition: $10,000
Support-only OpenFEC data (as of 2026-10-03). Opposition independent expenditures are excluded.
Who these lobbying groups are
AIPAC$15,000The 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$10,000The 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.
Endorsed by AIPAC
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.These endorsements come from groups that back sending U.S. weapons and funding to the government of Israel.

In their words

“I do understand that [the U.S. is] $37 trillion in debt, but as a Christian, I certainly support Israel and the Jewish people, and as an ally we would not have been able to successfully do that mission against Iran without the help of Israel.”
Source ↗, 2025-08-25
“We want to get the hostages home, but if we don't finish the job, you're going to have more hostages.”
Source ↗, 2025-08-25
Endorsements

AIPAC (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, 2025-08-25] Jewish Insider, opened and confirmed word for word. Referring to attempts by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rep. Thomas Massie to block all U.S. funding to Israel, he said: "I don't know where they are with their thoughts and ideas," and: "I do understand that [the U.S. is] $37 trillion in debt, but as a Christian, I certainly support Israel and the Jewish people, and as an ally we would not have been able to successfully do that mission against Iran without the help of Israel." The article records him calling Greene and Massie "outliers" in the GOP. The bracketed insertion is the outlet's.
  • [Position, 2024-05-30] During the primary he criticized the incumbent for opposing emergency foreign aid to Israel, saying he was "not reliable with regard to Israel" and that the vote against aid "right there is enough for me to run against him" (Jewish Insider). Not separately opened.
  • [Position, 2026-03-02] Statement praising joint U.S.-Israel operations against Iranian nuclear capabilities. About Iran; context.
  • His two recorded tracked votes appear as badges on this card; he took office after the earlier roll calls. The August 2025 statement is his own account of the position behind them.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • No statement or documented position found by the research.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Position, 2025-08-25] Same interview, confirmed: he advised Netanyahu to "get the job done" in Gaza, said Israel must remain until Hamas is defeated, and said "We want to get the hostages home, but if we don't finish the job, you're going to have more hostages."
  • [Position, 2024-05-30] Characterized Hamas as "cowards" who use civilians as human shields, and said a "two-state solution... is not going to work,", as reported from the primary-campaign interview. Not separately opened.
  • [2024-07-03] Jerusalem Post coverage. Not opened.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • The August 2025 trip was organized by the American Israel Education Fund, per the source's own web address. Recorded; a trip is not a position on aid.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • Nothing distinct located.

Also in this race

  1. – Tom S. P. Perriello (Democrat)
  2. – Cooke C. Harvey (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.