U.S. House, Illinois 10th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Illinois's 10th Congressional District?
Brad Schneider has the strongest record in Illinois's 10th Congressional District. Brad Schneider scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Brad Schneider's highest marks are relevant experience and coalition building. Carl Lambrecht (1 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
Carl Lambrecht
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 1 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Brad Schneider
66 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 45
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 81
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.
Carl Lambrecht
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Brad Schneider
- Mark against2019 to 2025
Filed periodic transaction reports past the STOCK Act's 45-day deadline in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2025, including 2021 spouse stock sales reported 249 and 551 days late in August 2022.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report 20021496, House Clerk periodic transaction report 20020104, House Clerk periodic transaction report 20030591, Business Insider (via Yahoo Finance), March 23, 2022, Business Insider (via Yahoo News), Jan. 3, 2023
- Unresolved2021-07-15
A constituent services staffer sued his congressional office in July 2021 under the Congressional Accountability Act, alleging a hostile work environment, including a supervisor's lynching reference, and retaliation; the office disputed the account.
Where it stands: Filed in U.S. District Court for D.C. (1:21-cv-01894), transferred to the Northern District of Illinois in 2022 (1:22-cv-02390); that docket shows the case terminated Jan. 30, 2023. The outcome is not shown on the public docket.
Sources: Roll Call, July 15, 2021, Black Enterprise, July 2021, CourtListener docket, D.D.C. 1:21-cv-01894, CourtListener docket, N.D. Ill. 1:22-cv-02390
- On the record2024-07-11
Publicly called on President Joe Biden, a longtime ally, to end his 2024 reelection bid.
Sources: Northwest Herald (Daily Herald), July 12, 2024, ABC7 Chicago, July 19, 2024
- Credit2025-01-14
Was chosen in November 2024 to chair the New Democrat Coalition, a 110-member House Democratic caucus.
- Credit2024-12-23
His Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act (H.R. 1606) was enacted as part of the fiscal 2025 defense authorization.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Several periodic transaction reports from 2019 to 2025 were filed past the STOCK Act's 45-day deadline per the House Clerk record. His office acknowledged a 2022 late filing and said the late fee was paid.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report 20020104, Business Insider (via Yahoo Finance), March 23, 2022, Business Insider (via Yahoo News), Jan. 3, 2023, House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075108, House Committee on Ethics site search for Schneider
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. On July 11, 2024 he publicly called on President Biden, a longtime ally and his party's leader, to end his reelection bid.
Sources: Northwest Herald (Daily Herald), July 12, 2024, ABC7 Chicago, July 19, 2024
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Faced a primary challenger in 2026 and was interviewed by the Daily Herald Editorial Board; offers Neighborhood Office Hours through his office. No 2026 general election debate record found.
Sources: Shaw Local (Daily Herald), Feb. 17, 2026, Office site, home page
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Has served in the U.S. House in 2013 to 2015 and since 2017. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, Brad Schneider, House Committee on Ethics site search for Schneider
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors (Arizona and Pennsylvania). No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Carl Lambrecht. Works as an optics manufacturer per Ballotpedia. Has not held public office; he was the 2024 Republican nominee for Illinois House District 58.
Source: Ballotpedia, Carl Lambrecht
Brad Schneider. In the U.S. House for six terms (2013 to 2015 and since 2017), seeking a seventh.
Sources: GovTrack, Brad Schneider, Shaw Local (Daily Herald), Feb. 17, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Serves on the Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs committees and chairs the New Democrat Coalition, the largest House Democratic caucus. Holds no committee chair or ranking post.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Northwest Herald (Daily Herald), Jan. 14, 2025
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Offers a newsletter and Neighborhood Office Hours, answered the Daily Herald's 2024 questionnaire and gave a 2026 editorial board interview.
Sources: Office site, home page, Northwest Herald, 2024 questionnaire, Shaw Local (Daily Herald), Feb. 17, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Lives in Highland Park and previously Deerfield, both in the district he has represented since 2013 apart from 2015 to 2017. FEC by-state totals show about 57 percent of itemized individual contributions from Illinois.
Sources: Northwest Herald, 2024 questionnaire, Shaw Local (Daily Herald), March 23, 2022, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Legislative Effectiveness Score meets expectations in the 118th Congress (0.685 against a 0.539 benchmark; exceeds in the 117th). His Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act was enacted in the fiscal 2025 defense authorization.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 1606 (118th Congress)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Missed 90 of 6,283 roll call votes, 1.4 percent, from January 2013 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Runs a district office in Lincolnshire by appointment and holds frequent Neighborhood Office Hours with caseworkers across the district.
Sources: Office site, Offices, Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.55302 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 53 of 436, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Carl Lambrecht. No public record found.
Brad Schneider. 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 10th Congressional District?
Brad Schneider has the strongest record in Illinois's 10th Congressional District. Brad Schneider scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Brad Schneider's highest marks are relevant experience and coalition building. Carl Lambrecht (1 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 10th Congressional District in 2026?
Carl Lambrecht (Republican), Brad Schneider (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Carl Lambrecht a good candidate for Congress?
Carl Lambrecht has public evidence on 1 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 Brad Schneider a good candidate for Congress?
Brad Schneider scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 45 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 81 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 Illinois race scored, and the Illinois 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.