U.S. House, Alabama 4th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Alabama's 4th Congressional District?
Robert Aderholt has the strongest record in Alabama's 4th Congressional District. Robert Aderholt scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Robert Aderholt's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Amanda Pusczek (5 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Robert Aderholt
On the ballot as Robert B. Aderholt
60 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 42
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 50
Democratic
Amanda Pusczek
On the ballot as Amanda N. Pusczek
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 5 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Robert Aderholt
- On the record2021-01-06
Signed the December 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief and voted Yea on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021; both objections failed.
Sources: Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives, House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- On the record2005-01-06
Voted Nay on the House objection to Ohio's electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2005; the objection failed.
- Credit2026-02-03
Sponsored the fiscal 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill, H.R. 5304, which was incorporated into the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, signed Feb. 3, 2026.
- Credit1997 to 2026
Was primary sponsor of 10 bills enacted into law, including the agriculture appropriations acts for fiscal 2014, 2016 and 2018, per GovTrack.
Source: GovTrack, enacted legislation
Amanda Pusczek
- On the record2025 to 2026
First filed to run in Alabama's 5th Congressional District in 2025, then ran in and won the 4th District Democratic primary on May 19, 2026.
Source: Ballotpedia, Amanda Pusczek
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Robert Aderholt. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 is on file with the House Clerk, filed Aug. 13, 2026 after an extension; his periodic transaction reports were filed within the deadline. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10078366, FEC administrative fines search
Amanda Pusczek. A House candidate financial disclosure was filed Sept. 15, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10082865, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Robert Aderholt. No public record found.
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Robert Aderholt. No public record found.
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Robert Aderholt. Has served in the House since January 1997. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding found in the last 10 years.
Sources: GovTrack, Robert Aderholt, Ballotpedia, Robert Aderholt
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Robert Aderholt. Voted Yea on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021, and signed the December 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief. Voted Nay on the January 2005 Ohio objection.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives, House Clerk Roll Call 7, Jan. 6, 2005
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Robert Aderholt. In the U.S. House since January 1997 and seeking a 15th term; earlier an assistant legal adviser to Gov. Fob James and Haleyville municipal judge.
Sources: GovTrack, Robert Aderholt, Alabama Daily News, Feb. 2026, Office site, Biography
Amanda Pusczek. Registered nurse with more than a decade of clinical work, with a 2014 associate degree from Calhoun Community College and a 2022 bachelor's degree. Has not held public office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Amanda Pusczek, Alabama Daily News, Jan. 8, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Robert Aderholt. Chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; the fiscal 2026 bill he sponsored for that subcommittee was enacted in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, GovTrack, H.R. 5304 (119th Congress)
Amanda Pusczek. Has published positions on health care, rural hospitals, education, wages and veterans services, mostly in general terms.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Robert Aderholt. Offers an e-newsletter and publishes issue pages on his office site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Robert Aderholt
Amanda Pusczek. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025, explaining her positions in plain language.
Source: Ballotpedia, Amanda Pusczek
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Robert Aderholt. Lives in Haleyville, where he was municipal judge before entering Congress in 1997. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 71 percent of itemized individual contributions from Alabama.
Sources: Office site, Biography, Alabama Daily News, Feb. 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Robert Aderholt. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Amanda Pusczek. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Robert Aderholt. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.028 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.511, meeting expectations. Primary sponsor of 10 enacted bills, most recently the fiscal 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 5304 (119th Congress)
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Robert Aderholt. Missed 535 of 18,577 roll call votes, 2.9 percent, from January 1997 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Robert Aderholt. Keeps four district offices (Tuscumbia, Cullman, Albertville, Jasper) and offers help with federal agencies. His office says it assists hundreds of constituents a year; no casework totals published.
Sources: Office site, home page, Office site, Biography
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Robert Aderholt. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.04601 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 343 of 436, in the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Robert Aderholt. No public record found.
Amanda Pusczek. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Alabama's 4th Congressional District?
Robert Aderholt has the strongest record in Alabama's 4th Congressional District. Robert Aderholt scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Robert Aderholt's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Amanda Pusczek (5 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Alabama's 4th Congressional District in 2026?
Robert Aderholt (Republican, incumbent), Amanda Pusczek (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Robert Aderholt a good candidate for Congress?
Robert Aderholt scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 42 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Amanda Pusczek a good candidate for Congress?
Amanda Pusczek has public evidence on 5 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Alabama race scored, and the Alabama 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.