U.S. House, Connecticut 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District?
Joe Courtney has the strongest record in Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District. Joe Courtney scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Joe Courtney's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. George Austin (6 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
George Austin
On the ballot as George Patrick Austin
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Joe Courtney
69 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 69
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.
George Austin
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Joe Courtney
- Mark against2020-07-29
Filed a periodic transaction report on July 29, 2020 listing trades in a spouse-owned rollover IRA dated Dec. 31, 2019 to June 2, 2020, past the STOCK Act's 45-day reporting deadline.
Source: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20017036
- Credit2022-01-21
Sponsored the Supplemental Impact Aid Flexibility Act, letting school districts reuse prior-year data for impact aid applications; it was enacted as S. 2959, signed Jan. 21, 2022.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
George Austin. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00914481
Joe Courtney. 2025 annual disclosure filed May 14, 2026; no FEC fine. A 2020 stock trade report was filed past the 45-day deadline (see Record); no outlet reported it, so not scored (E16).
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076814, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00410233, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20017036
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
George Austin. No public record found.
Joe Courtney. Voted for final passage of the Laken Riley Act in January 2025 and for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, when Democratic Leader Jeffries and Whip Clark voted Nay on both.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 23, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 53, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
George Austin. No public record found.
Joe Courtney. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
George Austin. No public record found.
Joe Courtney. Has served in the U.S. House since January 2007 and earlier in the Connecticut House; no censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: GovTrack member page, House Committee on Ethics site search for Courtney
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
George Austin. No public record found.
Joe Courtney. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electoral votes (Roll Calls 10 and 11). No official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
George Austin. Construction business owner and contractor with a 2014 construction management degree from Central Connecticut State University. Has not held public office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, George Austin, Campaign site, home page
Joe Courtney. U.S. representative for the 2nd District since 2007, now seeking an 11th term; served in the Connecticut House from 1987 to 1994.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
George Austin. Publishes issue pages on costs, opportunity and the border, in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Joe Courtney. Ranking member of the Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee; also sits on Education and Workforce. Publishes issue pages on defense, health care, education and other topics.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, Offices page menu
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
George Austin. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026 and publishes plain-language issue pages.
Sources: Ballotpedia, George Austin, Campaign site, home page
Joe Courtney. Offers an e-mail newsletter and publishes issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, Offices page menu, Ballotpedia, Joe Courtney
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
George Austin. His FEC statement of candidacy lists a Suffield address, inside the 2nd District. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 87 percent of itemized individual contributions from Connecticut.
Sources: FEC Form 2, filed Aug. 2, 2025, Wikipedia, Connecticut's 2nd congressional district, FEC contribution totals by state
Joe Courtney. Lists a Vernon address with the FEC and represented Vernon in the state House from 1987. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 73 percent of itemized individual contributions from Connecticut.
Sources: FEC Form 2, filed Nov. 24, 2024, Ballotpedia, Joe Courtney, Wikipedia, Connecticut's 2nd congressional district, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
George Austin. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00914481
Joe Courtney. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00410233
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
George Austin. No public record found.
Joe Courtney. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.252 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.556, below expectations. Raised to 2 under E14: his Supplemental Impact Aid Flexibility Act was enacted as S. 2959, signed Jan. 21, 2022.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 6126 (117th Congress)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
George Austin. No public record found.
Joe Courtney. Missed 158 of 12,745 roll call votes, 1.2 percent, from January 2007 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
George Austin. No public record found.
Joe Courtney. Runs district offices in Enfield and Norwich and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office site, Office Locations, Office site, Help with a Federal Agency
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
George Austin. No public record found.
Joe Courtney. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.34855 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 72 of 436, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores, 118th Congress
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
George Austin. No public record found.
Joe Courtney. 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 Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District?
Joe Courtney has the strongest record in Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District. Joe Courtney scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Joe Courtney's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. George Austin (6 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 Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
George Austin (Republican), Joe Courtney (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is George Austin a good candidate for Congress?
George Austin has public evidence on 6 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.
Is Joe Courtney a good candidate for Congress?
Joe Courtney scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 69 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
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 Connecticut race scored, and the Connecticut 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.