U.S. House, Florida 7th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Florida's 7th Congressional District?
Bale Dalton has the strongest record in Florida's 7th Congressional District. Bale Dalton scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Bale Dalton's highest marks are relevant experience and management. Christopher Dennison (6 of 15 criteria) and Ryan Elijah (7 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.
Democratic
Strongest record
Bale Dalton
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
Libertarian
Christopher Dennison
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Republican
Ryan Elijah
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- 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.
Bale Dalton
- Credit2026-10-04
Endorsed by the Orlando Sentinel editorial board for U.S. House District 7 on Oct. 4, 2026.
- Credit2021-06-24
Named NASA deputy chief of staff by Administrator Bill Nelson in June 2021, after commanding the Navy special operations support squadron HSC-85.
Christopher Dennison
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Ryan Elijah
- Unresolved2026-09-02
A district voter filed a House Ethics Committee complaint saying his candidate disclosure listed two retirement accounts without underlying assets; his campaign called it a mistake and he filed an amended report Sept. 16, 2026.
Where it stands: Complaint filed with the House Ethics Committee Sept. 2, 2026; amended disclosure filed Sept. 16, 2026; no committee action reported as of Oct. 9, 2026.
Sources: New York Post, Sept. 2, 2026, House Clerk amended disclosure, Filing ID 10082833
- On the record2026-09
Said at an Aug. 5, 2026 primary debate that he did not believe Biden got more votes than Trump in 2020, then answered 'No' in September when asked whether that election was stolen.
Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Sept. 15, 2026
- On the record2026-09-11
Had not responded to WESH's invitation to its Oct. 8, 2026 general election debate by the station's Sept. 11 deadline; he cited a scheduling conflict.
Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Sept. 15, 2026
- On the record2010-06-03
Sought the 2010 Republican nomination for Indiana's 3rd Congressional District seat vacated by Mark Souder while a Fort Wayne TV news anchor.
Sources: KPC News, June 3, 2010, Radio Business Report, May 24, 2010
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Bale Dalton. Filed a House candidate financial disclosure on May 15, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine or ethics finding found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075508, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Christopher Dennison. 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
Ryan Elijah. Filed a House candidate financial disclosure on June 14, 2026, and an amended report on Sept. 16, 2026. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC. No FEC administrative fine or ethics finding found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10078152, House Clerk amended disclosure, Filing ID 10082833, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Bale Dalton. No public record found.
Christopher Dennison. No public record found.
Ryan Elijah. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Bale Dalton. Agreed to the WESH general election debate set for Oct. 8, 2026, and took part in Democratic primary forums, including one in Deltona on July 20, 2026.
Sources: Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Sept. 15, 2026, Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Aug. 19, 2026
Christopher Dennison. Agreed to the WESH general election debate set for Oct. 8, 2026.
Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Sept. 15, 2026
Ryan Elijah. Debated in the Republican primary, including Aug. 5, 2026 in New Smyrna Beach. Did not respond by WESH's Sept. 11 deadline for its Oct. 8 general election debate and cited a scheduling conflict.
Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Sept. 15, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Bale Dalton. No public record found.
Christopher Dennison. No public record found.
Ryan Elijah. 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.
Bale Dalton. Commissioned Navy officer since his 2002 Naval Academy graduation, now a reservist, and a former NASA deputy chief of staff. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: NASA release 21-085, June 24, 2021, Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Aug. 19, 2026
Christopher Dennison. No public record found.
Ryan Elijah. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Bale Dalton. Navy helicopter pilot who commanded the special operations support squadron HSC-85, a former military legislative assistant to Sen. Bill Nelson, and NASA deputy chief of staff and later chief of staff. Has not held elected office.
Sources: NASA release 21-085, June 24, 2021, Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Aug. 19, 2026
Christopher Dennison. No public record found.
Ryan Elijah. Television news anchor for 14 years at WOFL in Orlando, host of its weekly business and politics show, and a former board member of the YMCA, a homeowners association and a Christian school. Has not held public office.
Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Aug. 19, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Bale Dalton. His Ballotpedia survey sets out positions on cost of living, health care, and bans on congressional stock trading and prediction-market betting, mostly in general terms.
Source: Ballotpedia, Bale Dalton, survey
Christopher Dennison. Campaign site states positions on foreign deployments, license-plate and camera surveillance, and veterans' choice of care, in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Ryan Elijah. Publishes issue pages and Ballotpedia survey answers on taxes, spending, health care, energy, law enforcement and beach protection, mostly in general terms.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ryan Elijah, survey, Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Bale Dalton. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and took part in primary forums. His campaign site blocks automated readers, so its issue pages were not counted.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Bale Dalton, Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Aug. 19, 2026
Christopher Dennison. Publishes plain-language issue statements on his campaign site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, home page, Ballotpedia, Christopher Dennison
Ryan Elijah. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, publishes issue pages, and took part in primary debates and forums.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ryan Elijah, Campaign site, home page, Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Sept. 15, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Bale Dalton. Grew up in Orlando, outside the district, and lists a Sanford address in the district with the state. FEC by-state totals show about 44 percent of itemized individual contributions from Florida.
Sources: Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Aug. 19, 2026, Florida Division of Elections, candidate detail, FEC contribution totals by state
Christopher Dennison. FEC candidate record lists a Deltona address, in the district's Volusia County portion. One itemized contribution, $3,500 of $10,500 itemized, came from Florida.
Sources: FEC contribution totals by state, Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Sept. 15, 2026
Ryan Elijah. Lives in Sanford, raised his family in Seminole County over 14 years, and served on a Seminole County homeowners association board. FEC by-state totals show about 86 percent of itemized individual contributions from Florida.
Sources: Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Aug. 19, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Bale Dalton. Commanded Navy squadron HSC-85, which he describes as 400 people. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026, and no FEC administrative fine was found.
Sources: NASA release 21-085, June 24, 2021, Daytona Beach News-Journal via Yahoo News, Aug. 19, 2026, FEC administrative fines search
Christopher Dennison. 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
Ryan Elijah. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 29, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Bale Dalton. No public record found.
Christopher Dennison. No public record found.
Ryan Elijah. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Bale Dalton. No public record found.
Christopher Dennison. No public record found.
Ryan Elijah. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Bale Dalton. No public record found.
Christopher Dennison. No public record found.
Ryan Elijah. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Bale Dalton. No public record found.
Christopher Dennison. No public record found.
Ryan Elijah. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Bale Dalton. No public record found.
Christopher Dennison. No public record found.
Ryan Elijah. 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 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Florida's 7th Congressional District?
Bale Dalton has the strongest record in Florida's 7th Congressional District. Bale Dalton scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Bale Dalton's highest marks are relevant experience and management. Christopher Dennison (6 of 15 criteria) and Ryan Elijah (7 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 Florida's 7th Congressional District in 2026?
Bale Dalton (Democratic), Christopher Dennison (Libertarian), Ryan Elijah (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Bale Dalton a good candidate for Congress?
Bale Dalton 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 Christopher Dennison a good candidate for Congress?
Christopher Dennison 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 Ryan Elijah a good candidate for Congress?
Ryan Elijah 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.
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 Florida race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Florida 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.