Eric Sorensen
D · U.S. House, IL-17 · Tier 2
Tier 2, “Mainstream pro-Israel”
Downstate Illinois Democrat who said in December 2023 that he was “increasingly troubled at what’s going on in Gaza, as it seems that perhaps the Netanyahu government doesn’t, isn’t playing by the rules”; his clearest words on Gaza came in July 2025: “Millions of innocent people are starving in Gaza. If we don’t do anything soon, thousands will die,” calling for “enough food, water, and medical supplies into Gaza to help those who have nothing to do with this war.” In August 2025 he said “Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu must show the world that there are means to an end of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” and he signed the Casten-led letter seeking oversight of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. He voted for the Republican standalone aid bill H.R.7217 (Feb 2024), the April 2024 package, H.Res.894 and the Antisemitism Awareness Act, and against the July 2026 Massie amendment; he voted against H.R.8369, both ICC-sanctions bills and the September 2026 anti-boycott bill, yet signed the January 2025 letter urging the ICC to rescind its warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. He also signed the 2025 letters opposing the relocation of Gaza’s population, seeking medical visas for Gaza’s children and urging Secretary Rubio to demand “a massive surge of humanitarian aid” into Gaza, infant formula above all. On the West Bank he signed the October 2024 letter urging President Biden to sanction ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir for inciting settler violence and the September 2025 letter of 178 House Democrats opposing unilateral annexation.
A flat 2. He has no leadership on the issue — no authored Israel legislation and no leading role on it — and his votes are mainstream pro-Israel with one notable crossing, the H.R.7217 Yea. What separates him from a 1/2 is concern for Palestinian civilians in his own words, without self-defense language in the same statement: the July 2025 warning that millions were starving and thousands would die, and the August 2025 call on Israel to end the humanitarian crisis; his line that “Hamas must be defeated” is a war aim, not a self-defense frame around the aid. Counter-case: 1/2 if the H.R.7217 Yea and the ICC letter are weighed over his own words on Gaza (remarks to reporters in December 2023 and June 2024, two 2025 social-media posts), the letters he signed on Gaza aid and the West Bank, and his cosponsorship of Rep. Jayapal’s Gaza humanitarian-aid resolution, since none of his official releases addresses Gaza.
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elect26 places 2026 midterm candidates on a six-tier spectrum, from 1 (most pro-Israel) to 6 (most critical of Israel).