Jewish Voter Guide
Brian Bengs
U.S. Senate · SD · Independent
Summary
Independent U.S. Senate candidate Brian Bengs is the sole challenger to incumbent Republican Senator Mike Rounds in South Dakota's 2026 general election.
Bengs has a limited record on Israel, Iran, Hamas, and Gaza, focused more on legal constraints and accountability than on strengthening U.S.-Israel security cooperation. He criticized Israel's June 2025 strikes on Iran as unlawful, warned U.S. weapons ties could expose the United States to repercussions, and later called for consequences over what he described as Israeli violations of the law of armed conflict. On Iran, he has opposed U.S. military action and argued for exhausting diplomacy before force.
Bengs has described Hamas as a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, called the October 7 hostage-taking an atrocious war crime, and said Israel was legally entitled to respond in self- defense, subject to the law of armed conflict. His record is sparse on antisemitism, campus protections, Jewish-institution security, international organizations, and Jewish-community engagement. He broadly opposes political extremism and hyperpartisanship, which he says are reinforced by closed primaries, gerrymandering, and the two-party system.
The record
Positions come from public votes, statements and on-the-record interviews. Every claim links to its source. No aggregate score or grade.
Support for a Strong U.S.-Israel Alliance
In June 2025, Bengs said the United States would likely face repercussions from Israel's strikes on Iran because it is Israel's primary weapons source. He also said Israel lacked legal grounds for strikes that included Iranian nuclear sites and that the operation set a bad precedent.
In September 2025, Bengs argued that the United States should impose consequences on Israel for what he described as violations of the law of armed conflict, criticizing continued U.S. weapons support amid alleged violations of civilian-protection and humanitarian-aid obligations.
Preventing a Nuclear Iran
Bengs has discussed Iran's nuclear program mainly while opposing military escalation. He said Israel's June 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear sites lacked legal grounds. After U.S. strikes in March 2026, he questioned conflicting claims about Iran's nuclear capabilities, called the action unconstitutional without congressional authorization, and urged exhausting diplomacy before force.
Condemning and Combating Terrorism
In September 2025, Bengs identified Hamas as a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, called the October 7 hostage-taking an atrocious war crime, and wrote that
Hamas exploits law-of-armed-conflict obligations for illegal and immoral advantages. He did not set out a broader counterterrorism policy.
Response to Hamas's October 7 Attack
Bengs wrote that Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack was an illegal armed attack and the hostage-taking an atrocious war crime. He said Israel was legally entitled to respond in self-defense, while remaining subject to the law of armed conflict and civilian-protection obligations.
A note on methodology. This guide is published as an educational reference. The American Jewish Congress does not endorse candidates and does not publish aggregate scores. If you spot a position that needs an update or a better source, please reach the office.