Rob Menendez
D · U.S. House, NJ-8 · Tier 1/2
Tier 1/2, between “Firmly pro-Israel” and “Mainstream pro-Israel”
A reliably pro-Israel establishment Democrat — joined the March for Israel, AIPAC-endorsed and -funded, and voted for the April 2024 supplemental (H.R.8034) after voting against the November 2023 Israel-only bill, which he faulted for its IRS cuts and for excluding humanitarian aid for Israelis and Palestinians alike, though in between, with a minority of Democrats, he voted for the February 2024 Israel-only bill (H.R.7217), which dropped the IRS cuts but carried no humanitarian aid either — but frames his position around humanitarian aid for “Palestinian civilians” as well as Israelis, and stopped short of banning military aid. Won the June 2026 primary over Mussab Ali. In September 2025 he joined most House Democrats on the Schneider–Raskin letter urging Netanyahu’s government “to refrain from steps toward unilateral annexation” of West Bank territory. On Sep 8, 2026 Menendez signed the Dexter–Ruiz letter urging Secretary Rubio to press for the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the Gaza pediatrician and hospital director held by Israel without charge or trial since December 2024. In January 2024 he signed the Smith–Manning letter, whose signers “thoroughly reject” South Africa’s “charge of genocide” against Israel.
A 1/2, not a clean 1. He has a reliable pro-Israel record — the March for Israel, AIPAC’s endorsement and $295,600 through its PAC in 2026 — and no leadership on the issue. His humanitarian condition gave way within three months. In November 2023 he voted against the Republican Israel-only bill, faulting it for IRS cuts and for “excluding critical humanitarian aid for Israelis and Palestinians,” and said, “I stand with Israel as well as Palestinian civilians who are victims of Hamas”; in February 2024 he voted for the $17.6B Israel-only bill, with no humanitarian aid, one of 46 Democrats. He then voted for the April package, the IHRA bill, the “river to the sea” resolution and the January 2025 ICC-sanctions bill, and in September 2025 cosponsored the U.S.-Israel Defense Partnership Act. Counter-case: a flat 2, on his Present on H.Res.894 (December 2023), his No on the 2024 ban on citing Gaza’s casualty figures and his 2026 acts: Yeas on both June Lebanon war-powers resolutions, a West Bank Violence Prevention Act cosponsorship, the Abu Safiya letter and an anti-boycott Nay.
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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).