The Dispute Index

Pete Aguilar

Portrait of Pete Aguilar
Franmarie Metzler / House Creative ServicesSourcePublic domain (U.S. federal government)Original image retained; resized only.

United States Representative and Democratic candidate for U.S. House in California's 33rd district.

Candidate
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What DI has documented

DI has documented statements by Pete Aguilar on 2026 Midterm Elections, Iran War, and Racism, among other topics. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.

Topics in this coverage

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Statements by Pete Aguilar

Portrait of Pete Aguilar

Pete Aguilar

Role at the time: U.S. Representative, California 33th district

Condemned

Statement summary

Pete Aguilar voted Yea on H.Con.Res. 93, the House resolution directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.

“On Agreeing to the Resolution: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)U.S. House Roll Call Vote 307: H.Con.Res. 93, Iran War Powers Resolution (agreed to, 220-204)
Why we used this label

A yea vote supported directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran, opposing continued U.S. involvement in the war without congressional authorization.

Read statementDo they support the war in Iran?
Portrait of Pete Aguilar

Pete Aguilar

Role at the time: U.S. Representative for California's 33rd district and chair of the House Democratic Caucus, posting on X

Condemned

Statement summary

Representative Pete Aguilar, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said that calling House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries a monkey and an errand boy is blatantly racist and dangerous, and that racism in political discourse should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

“Calling Leader Jeffries a “monkey” and an “errand boy” is blatantly racist and dangerous. Full stop. There is no place for racism anywhere in our political discourse, and it should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)'Absolutely Disgusting and Unacceptable!' Democratic Lawmakers Denounce Left-Wing Journalist for Calling Hakeem Jeffries an 'AIPAC Monkey' · MediaiteArticle body and the embedded X posts from Democratic lawmakers that follow Jebreal's statement.
Why we used this label

The case asks whether Rula Jebreal's remarks about Hakeem Jeffries were racist. Aguilar wrote that calling Jeffries a "monkey" and an "errand boy" is blatantly racist and dangerous, and that racism in political discourse should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. That is an express judgment that the language was racist, so we labeled it Condemned.

Read statementWere Rula Jebreal’s remarks about Hakeem Jeffries racist?
Portrait of Pete Aguilar

Pete Aguilar

Role at the time: U.S. Representative for California at the statement date.

Condemned

Statement summary

Aguilar opposes the war and pledges to keep working to end the conflict and protect service members.

“Democrats stood against this war in Congress today”
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)Statement from Chairman Aguilar on the Bipartisan Iran War Powers Resolution | House DemocratsComplete original text; Aguilar calls for ending the Iran war
Why we used this label

The case concerns U.S. military involvement in the 2026 Iran war. Aguilar opposes the war and pledges to keep working to end the conflict and protect service members.

Read statementDo they support the war in Iran?

A participant is a subject of the case. A speaker has a statement documented in it. A commentator has an opinion or editorial documented in it.

Case

Were Rula Jebreal’s remarks about Hakeem Jeffries racist?

Relationship to this case: Speaker

Rula Jebreal called Hakeem Jeffries a "bought and paid by AIPAC monkey" and an "errand boy" while denying racial intent, then apologized. The Congressional Black Caucus called the words racist; Wajahat Ali and Joy-Ann Reid stressed context but criticized the language.

RacismU.S. PoliticsUpdated

Case

Do they support the war in Iran?

Relationship to this case: Speaker

An issue tracker recording where members of Congress and 2026 midterm candidates stand on the unauthorized Iran war, based on their votes on war-powers resolutions, campaign statements, and public remarks.

Iran WarU.S. PoliticsUpdated