U.S. House, Delaware At-Large Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Delaware's At-Large Congressional District?
Sarah McBride has the strongest record in Delaware's At-Large Congressional District. Sarah McBride scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Sarah McBride's highest marks are showing up and relevant experience. Joseph Arminio (7 of 15 criteria), Earl Cooper (3 of 15 criteria) and Scott Walker (0 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Joseph Arminio
On the ballot as Joseph "Dr. Joe" Arminio
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
Write-in
Earl Cooper
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 3 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Sarah McBride
64 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 75
Write-in
Scott Walker
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 0 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- NR
- 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.
Joseph Arminio
- On the record2026-09-17
Organizers removed him from the Sept. 17, 2026 Jewish Federation of Delaware candidate forum after he referred to Rep. Sarah McBride as "him" and "gentleman" following a warning.
Sources: Delaware Public Media, Sept. 18, 2026, NBC10 Philadelphia, Sept. 18, 2026, WDEL, Sept. 22, 2026
- On the record2026-09-22
Defended his remarks as free speech in a public statement and did not act on Republican Senate nominee Mike Katz's call to withdraw.
Source: WDEL, Sept. 22, 2026
- On the record2026-09-15
Won the Republican House primary over the state party's endorsed candidate, Rev. Earl Cooper, and its 2024 nominee, John Whalen.
Earl Cooper
- On the record2024 to 2026
Ran in the 2024 Democratic House primary, was the Delaware GOP's endorsed candidate in the 2026 Republican primary, and filed as a declared write-in on Sept. 21, 2026.
Sources: WHYY, 2026 Republican primary guide, Delaware Department of Elections, declared write-in list
Sarah McBride
- On the record2026-09-17
When Republican opponent Joe Arminio was removed from the Sept. 17, 2026 JCC forum for misgendering her, she asked that he be allowed to stay; organizers made the decision.
Sources: 6abc Action News via Yahoo News, NBC10 Philadelphia, Sept. 18, 2026
- On the record2026-09
WDEL reported she had been non-committal about a broadcast debate with Arminio as of Sept. 28, 2026.
Source: WDEL, Sept. 28, 2026
- On the record2024-11 to 2025-02
Said she would follow Speaker Mike Johnson's rule barring her from women's restrooms in the Capitol; many transgender advocates criticized her for complying.
Source: The 19th, Feb. 2025
- Credit2025-07
Her first House bill, the bipartisan Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act she co-led, passed the House unanimously in July 2025.
- Credit2025
Introduced the Ending Scam Credit Repair Act with Republican Rep. Young Kim of California.
Source: NOTUS
- Credit2025
Took constituent questions at a February 2025 virtual town hall attended by about 2,500 people and an April 2025 in-person town hall in Wilmington with the delegation.
Sources: Delaware Public Media, Feb. 24, 2025, WDEL, April 27, 2025
- Credit2021 to 2024
The Center for Effective Lawmaking rated her Meets Expectations in both Delaware Senate sessions, with 16 bills enacted in 2021 to 2022 and 16 in 2023 to 2024.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, State Legislative Effectiveness Scores data file
Scott Walker
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.
Joseph Arminio. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC for July 1 to Aug. 26, 2026, with no administrative fine and no official finding found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00957365
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through Aug. 26, 2026, with no administrative fine. Her 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed May 14, 2026; the Clerk index shows no periodic transaction reports. No ethics finding found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00843763, House Clerk, 2025 annual financial disclosure
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Joseph Arminio. No public record found.
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. Publicly told fellow Democrats that requiring litmus tests on transgender issues hurts the party, and drew criticism from trans advocates for complying with the Speaker's Capitol restroom rule instead of protesting.
Sources: Metro Weekly, March 2025, The 19th, Feb. 2025
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Joseph Arminio. Took part in the Sept. 17, 2026 JCC candidate forum, where organizers removed him after a warning; he has given WHYY an interview on his priorities.
Sources: WDEL, Sept. 28, 2026, Delaware Public Media, Sept. 18, 2026
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. Appeared at the September 2026 JCC candidate forum and at 2025 virtual and in-person town halls with the delegation. WDEL reported she was non-committal about a debate with Arminio.
Sources: WDEL, Sept. 28, 2026, WDEL, April 27, 2025
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Joseph Arminio. No public record found.
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. Delaware state senator from 2020 to 2025 and U.S. representative since January 2025, with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Sarah McBride
Scott Walker. 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.
Joseph Arminio. No public record found.
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. Took the oath as a state senator and as a U.S. representative in January 2025. No official finding of misuse of office and no recorded action to reject certified results found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Sarah McBride
Scott Walker. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Joseph Arminio. Political scientist, author and educator with an MIT doctorate who has taught at American University and Lincoln University. Has not held public office.
Earl Cooper. Operated a heavy highway construction company for decades before closing it in 2026, and earlier served as a pastor.
Sarah McBride. U.S. representative since January 2025 (first term not yet complete) after one term in the Delaware Senate, District 1, from 2020 to 2025.
Source: Ballotpedia, Sarah McBride
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Joseph Arminio. Publishes an "American Prosperity Plan" centered on private and public debt relief, plus positions on foreign conflicts and immigration.
Earl Cooper. Stated priorities in general terms, including school and business partnerships and attracting employers.
Sarah McBride. Serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Science, Space, and Technology committees, and publishes issue pages on affordability, health care, the care economy and other topics.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Campaign site
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Joseph Arminio. Channels documented: campaign issue pages, a WHYY interview on his priorities and the September 2026 JCC forum. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: WHYY, 2026 Republican primary guide, Ballotpedia, Joseph Arminio
Earl Cooper. Gave WHYY an interview on his priorities and publishes a campaign site.
Sarah McBride. Channels documented: 2025 virtual and in-person town halls, the 2026 JCC forum, a constituent email newsletter and campaign and office issue pages.
Sources: Delaware Public Media, Feb. 24, 2025, House office contact page, Campaign site
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Joseph Arminio. Wilmington native with a Wilmington residential address on the ballot list. None of his $1,739 in itemized individual contributions through Aug. 26, 2026 came from Delaware (FEC by-state totals: California and D.C.).
Sources: WHYY, 2026 Republican primary guide, Delaware Department of Elections, candidate list
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. Born in Wilmington in 1990. About 23.8 percent of itemized individual contributions by state, Jan. 1, 2025 to Aug. 26, 2026, came from Delaware (FEC by-state totals).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Sarah McBride, FEC candidate page
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Joseph Arminio. Campaign reports filed with the FEC with no administrative fine.
Source: FEC administrative fines search, committee C00957365
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. Campaign reports filed with the FEC with no administrative fine.
Source: FEC administrative fines search, committee C00843763
Scott Walker. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Joseph Arminio. No public record found.
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. No CEL House score yet. CEL rated her Delaware Senate sessions of 2021 to 2022 and 2023 to 2024 Meets Expectations, with 16 bills enacted in each. Her first House bill passed the House unanimously in 2025.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking, State Legislative Effectiveness Scores data file, Delaware Public Media, July 27, 2025
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Joseph Arminio. No public record found.
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. Missed 4 of 676 roll call votes (0.6 percent) from January 2025 to September 2026, per GovTrack.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Joseph Arminio. No public record found.
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. House office lists Wilmington and Georgetown offices (by appointment) and casework help. Her office's 2025 report says 800 Delawareans were assisted with casework and $3.9 million returned.
Sources: House office contact page, Office of Rep. McBride, First Year in Review 2025
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Joseph Arminio. No public record found.
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. No Lugar Bipartisan Index score yet for her House service. Her first House bill, co-led with Republicans, passed unanimously, and she introduced a credit repair bill with Republican Rep. Young Kim.
Sources: Delaware Public Media, July 27, 2025, NOTUS
Scott Walker. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Joseph Arminio. No public record found.
Earl Cooper. No public record found.
Sarah McBride. No public record found.
Scott Walker. 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 Delaware's At-Large Congressional District?
Sarah McBride has the strongest record in Delaware's At-Large Congressional District. Sarah McBride scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Sarah McBride's highest marks are showing up and relevant experience. Joseph Arminio (7 of 15 criteria), Earl Cooper (3 of 15 criteria) and Scott Walker (0 of 15 criteria) have 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 Delaware's At-Large Congressional District in 2026?
Joseph "Dr. Joe" Arminio (Republican), Earl Cooper (Write-in), Sarah McBride (Democratic, incumbent), Scott Walker (Write-in). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Joseph Arminio a good candidate for Congress?
Joseph Arminio has public evidence on 7 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 Earl Cooper a good candidate for Congress?
Earl Cooper 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.
Is Sarah McBride a good candidate for Congress?
Sarah McBride scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Scott Walker a good candidate for Congress?
Scott Walker has public evidence on 0 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 Delaware race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Delaware 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.