“The President has the most effective endorsement in American, or international, political history,” said Vance, when asked in an interview if he would also be extending an endorsement of his own. “I endorse American candidates and that’s where I’m focused on, is the midterms, so I’m not getting involved in the Israeli elections.”
When pushed for an answer, Vance added: “I’m not anti-endorsing [Netanyahu], I’m not pro-endorsing him.”
A high-stakes election for Netanyahu
At stake for Netanyahu could be more than his continued leadership. The premier faces an international arrest warrant for alleged crimes related to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. And even domestically, critics have demanded an inquiry into Netanyahu’s decision-making around Oct. 7. The attack, which resulted in over 1,200 people in Israel killed and around 250 hostages taken, is considered by many to be indicative of a major security failure.