Rep. Robin Kelly Makes Statement on Senate Vote to Block Weapon Sales to Israel

Aug

2025

In the News

Rep. Robin Kelly Makes Statement on Senate Vote to Block Weapon Sales to Israel

The Buzz

ARMS GAME: Congresswoman Robin Kelly, one of several Democrats running to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, stood out last week with a statement that she supported the Senate vote to block weapons sales to Israel.

Durbin and Sen. Tammy Duckworth both voted in favor of blocking the sales.

It was a moment of clarity for Kelly, while her top Democratic opponents — Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi — stayed mostly quiet on the issue.

In her statement, Kelly said she would have voted with Durbin and Duckworth. “I have supported Israel, but in this moment, I cannot in good conscience defend starving young children and prolonging the suffering of innocent families.”

Kelly also signed on to a letter with 93 House Democrats calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to release information on how the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the controversial U.S. group running aid distribution in Gaza, operates.

In a statement to Playbook, Krishnamoorthi said he has “long supported” the U.S. alliance with Israel and its right to defend itself after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, adding, what’s happening in Gaza now is a “moral catastrophe” that demands urgent action. He’s written his own letter to Rubio.

Why it matters: Kelly, Stratton and Krishnamoorthi are establishment Democrats who are likely aligned on most issues. This one is setting them apart.

By Shia Kapos