U.S. House, Connecticut 4th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Connecticut's 4th Congressional District?
Jim Himes has the strongest record in Connecticut's 4th Congressional District. Jim Himes scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Michael Goldstein at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Jim Himes's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Michael Goldstein's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Benjamin Wesley (3 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
Michael Goldstein
On the ballot as Michael Ted Goldstein
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Jim Himes
66 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 56
Independent Party
Benjamin Wesley
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 3 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.
Michael Goldstein
- On the record2023-09
Greenwich's Representative Town Meeting rejected his nomination to the board of the town-owned Nathaniel Witherell nursing home, 105 to 85, after its Family Council wrote that he was unqualified.
Source: Greenwich Free Press, March 2025
Jim Himes
- On the record2025-03
Voted Yea, one of 10 Democrats to do so, on the March 2025 resolution censuring Rep. Al Green of Texas; Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Nay.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 62, 2025
- Credit2026
Sponsored H.R. 7792 to raise FHA property improvement loan limits and allow their use for accessory dwelling units; GovTrack records its provisions as enacted through another bill.
Benjamin Wesley
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Michael Goldstein. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 22, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00935031
Jim Himes. His 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed July 1, 2026, after an extension; his 2023 and 2026 stock trade reports were filed within the deadline. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077713, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00434191, House Committee on Ethics site search for Himes
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Michael Goldstein. No public record found.
Jim Himes. Voted Nay on expelling Rep. George Santos in 2023 and Yea on censuring Rep. Al Green in 2025 against Leader Jeffries, and Yea on the 2026 omnibus when Jeffries and Whip Clark voted Nay.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 564, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 62, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 53, 2026
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Michael Goldstein. Is scheduled with both opponents for an Oct. 19, 2026 League of Women Voters debate at the Westport Library.
Jim Himes. Is scheduled with both opponents for an Oct. 19, 2026 League of Women Voters debate at the Westport Library.
Benjamin Wesley. Is scheduled with both opponents for an Oct. 19, 2026 League of Women Voters debate at the Westport Library.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Michael Goldstein. No public record found.
Jim Himes. Has served in the U.S. House since January 2009 and earlier on Greenwich town boards; no censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: GovTrack member page, House Committee on Ethics site search for Himes
Benjamin Wesley. 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.
Michael Goldstein. Holds elected office as a member of Greenwich's Representative Town Meeting. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Greenwich Free Press, March 2025
Jim Himes. 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
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Michael Goldstein. Physician for more than 30 years and a lawyer, with an M.D. from SUNY Downstate and a 2006 law degree from Pace; an elected member of Greenwich's Representative Town Meeting.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Michael Goldstein, Greenwich Free Press, March 2025
Jim Himes. U.S. representative for the 4th District since 2009, now seeking a 10th term; earlier chaired the Greenwich Housing Authority and served on the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation.
Sources: GovTrack member page, Ballotpedia, Jim Himes
Benjamin Wesley. Works as a manufacturing mechanical engineer. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Benjamin Wesley
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Michael Goldstein. Publishes positions on health care costs, energy prices and taxes in general terms.
Source: Campaign site
Jim Himes. Ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and a member of Financial Services. Publishes issue pages on 16 topics.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, home page
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Michael Goldstein. Answered Ballotpedia's survey in 2022 and 2024, publishes plain-language positions and is scheduled for a general election debate. Has not completed the 2026 survey.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Michael Goldstein, Campaign site, Greenwich Free Press, Oct. 4, 2026
Jim Himes. Offers an e-mail newsletter, publishes issue pages and is scheduled for a general election debate. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Greenwich Free Press, Oct. 4, 2026, Ballotpedia, Jim Himes
Benjamin Wesley. Completed Ballotpedia's survey in 2024 and is scheduled for a 2026 debate. Has not completed the 2026 survey.
Source: Ballotpedia, Benjamin Wesley
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Michael Goldstein. Lives in Greenwich, inside the 4th District, where he serves on the Representative Town Meeting. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 33 percent of itemized individual contributions from Connecticut.
Sources: Greenwich Free Press, January 2024, Greenwich Free Press, March 2025, FEC contribution totals by state
Jim Himes. Has served on Greenwich town boards since 2003 and lists a Fairfield address with the FEC. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 55 percent of itemized individual contributions from Connecticut.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jim Himes, FEC Form 2, filed Sept. 22, 2026, Wikipedia, Connecticut's 4th congressional district, FEC contribution totals by state
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Michael Goldstein. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 22, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00935031
Jim Himes. 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 C00434191
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Michael Goldstein. No public record found.
Jim Himes. Center for Effective Lawmaking rates him Meets Expectations for the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 of 0.381, benchmark 0.551), with no bill enacted that Congress. His 2026 housing loan bill, H.R. 7792, was enacted through another measure.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 7792 (119th Congress)
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Michael Goldstein. No public record found.
Jim Himes. Missed 152 of 10,869 roll call votes, 1.4 percent, from January 2009 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Michael Goldstein. No public record found.
Jim Himes. Runs district offices in Bridgeport and Stamford, open weekdays, and offers federal agency assistance. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office site, Office Locations, Office site, home page
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Michael Goldstein. No public record found.
Jim Himes. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.23056 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 174 of 436, a negative score outside the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores, 118th Congress
Benjamin Wesley. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Michael Goldstein. No public record found.
Jim Himes. No public record found.
Benjamin Wesley. 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 4th Congressional District?
Jim Himes has the strongest record in Connecticut's 4th Congressional District. Jim Himes scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Michael Goldstein at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Jim Himes's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Michael Goldstein's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Benjamin Wesley (3 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 4th Congressional District in 2026?
Michael Goldstein (Republican), Jim Himes (Democratic, incumbent), Benjamin Wesley (Independent Party). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Michael Goldstein a good candidate for Congress?
Michael Goldstein scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Jim Himes a good candidate for Congress?
Jim Himes scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 56 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Benjamin Wesley a good candidate for Congress?
Benjamin Wesley has public evidence on 3 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 Connecticut race scored, and the Connecticut 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.