U.S. House, Illinois 1st Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Illinois's 1st Congressional District?
Jonathan Jackson has the strongest record in Illinois's 1st Congressional District. Jonathan Jackson scores 57 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jonathan Jackson's highest marks are relevant experience and courage. Christian Maxwell (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.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Jonathan Jackson
On the ballot as Jonathan L. Jackson
57 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 44
Republican
Christian Maxwell
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 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.
Jonathan Jackson
- Mark against2025-08-25
Filed a periodic transaction report on Aug. 25, 2025 listing spouse IRA stock trades from March 3 to April 23, 2025, past the 45-day deadline; The Center Square and the Sun-Times reported it.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report 20030860, The Center Square via AOL, Aug. 2025, Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 12, 2026
- Mark against2022-06-23
Filed his 2022 House candidate financial disclosure weeks late, days before the June 2022 primary, and said, "I have made a mistake and it's a lesson learned."
- On the record2025-02-06
Voted Yea on the HALT Fentanyl Act in February 2025 when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Nay.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 33, 2025
- On the record2024-04-20
Voted Nay on the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act in April 2024 when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Yea.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 152, 2024
- On the record2024-04-12
Voted No on the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (FISA reauthorization) in April 2024 when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Aye.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 119, 2024
- On the record2023-05-12
Filed a periodic transaction report on May 12, 2023 listing jointly held stock trades from January and February 2023, more than 45 days earlier.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report 20022795, Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 12, 2026
Christian Maxwell
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.
Jonathan Jackson. A 2025 periodic transaction report listed spouse stock trades past the 45-day deadline, shown on the Clerk record and reported by The Center Square and the Chicago Sun-Times (E16).
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report 20030860, The Center Square via AOL, Aug. 2025, Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 12, 2026
Christian Maxwell. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed May 18, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10079712, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Jonathan Jackson. Has voted against Democratic Leader Jeffries on significant measures, including Nay on the April 2024 Israel security supplemental and Yea on the HALT Fentanyl Act in February 2025.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 152, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 33, 2025
Christian Maxwell. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Jonathan Jackson. His office lists open in-person town halls in the district, including Oct. 30, 2025 at the Gwendolyn Brooks Library and a May 22, 2026 food security town hall. No 2026 general election debate found.
Source: Office site, Events
Christian Maxwell. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Jonathan Jackson. In the House since January 2023 with no censure, reprimand or Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, Jonathan Jackson, House Committee on Ethics site search for Jonathan Jackson
Christian Maxwell. 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.
Jonathan Jackson. Took the House oath in January 2023, after the 2021 electoral count. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: GovTrack, Jonathan Jackson
Christian Maxwell. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Jonathan Jackson. Serving a second term as U.S. representative for Illinois's 1st District after a full first term (2023 to 2024).
Christian Maxwell. Business consultant and entrepreneur with a 2012 University of Illinois Chicago degree. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Christian Maxwell
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Jonathan Jackson. Member of the House Foreign Affairs and Agriculture committees and their subcommittees; publishes issue pages. No chair or ranking post.
Christian Maxwell. Published campaign themes on public safety, parental rights and taxes in general terms.
Source: Ballotpedia, Christian Maxwell
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Jonathan Jackson. Publishes issue pages and an email newsletter, held a telephone town hall, and published a 2024 annual report.
Source: Office site, home page
Christian Maxwell. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025.
Source: Ballotpedia, Christian Maxwell
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Jonathan Jackson. His FEC statement of candidacy lists a Chicago 60615 address, in the district. FEC by-state totals show about 38 percent of itemized individual contributions from Illinois ($99,122 of $258,792).
Sources: FEC Form 2, Nov. 19, 2024, FEC contribution totals by state
Christian Maxwell. Born in Belleville, Illinois; her FEC statement of candidacy lists a Chicago 60637 address. FEC by-state totals show about 45 percent of itemized individual contributions from Illinois ($13,392 of $29,866).
Sources: FEC Form 2, May 9, 2025, Ballotpedia, Christian Maxwell, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Jonathan Jackson. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Christian Maxwell. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Jonathan Jackson. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.150 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.522, below expectations, with no sponsored bill enacted.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress
Christian Maxwell. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Jonathan Jackson. Missed 77 of 1,917 roll call votes, 4.0 percent, from January 2023 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Christian Maxwell. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Jonathan Jackson. Runs a Chicago district office on South Cottage Grove Avenue and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, home page
Christian Maxwell. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Jonathan Jackson. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.64671 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 253 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Christian Maxwell. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Jonathan Jackson. No public record found.
Christian Maxwell. 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 Illinois's 1st Congressional District?
Jonathan Jackson has the strongest record in Illinois's 1st Congressional District. Jonathan Jackson scores 57 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jonathan Jackson's highest marks are relevant experience and courage. Christian Maxwell (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 Illinois's 1st Congressional District in 2026?
Jonathan Jackson (Democratic, incumbent), Christian Maxwell (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Jonathan Jackson a good candidate for Congress?
Jonathan Jackson scores 57 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 44 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Christian Maxwell a good candidate for Congress?
Christian Maxwell 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.
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 Illinois race scored, and the Illinois 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.