U.S. House, Illinois 8th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Illinois's 8th Congressional District?
Melissa Bean has the strongest record in Illinois's 8th Congressional District. Melissa Bean scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Melissa Bean's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Jennifer Davis (7 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
Strongest record
Melissa Bean
On the ballot as Melissa L. Bean
58 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
Republican
Jennifer Davis
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 56
- 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.
Melissa Bean
- On the record2005-07-28
Voted for the Central America Free Trade Agreement implementation act, one of a small number of House Democrats to do so, while Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi voted no.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 443, 2005
- Credit2019-04-08
Became CEO and president of Mesirow Wealth Advisors, a $29 billion wealth management unit, after serving as JPMorgan Chase's chairman of the Midwest.
- Credit2007-06-15
Sponsored the Preservation Approval Process Improvement Act (H.R. 1675), which was signed into law June 15, 2007 with bipartisan cosponsors.
Jennifer Davis
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.
Melissa Bean. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026 and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Aug. 19, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10078678, FEC administrative fines search
Jennifer Davis. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026 and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Aug. 14, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075597, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Melissa Bean. In 2005 she voted for the Central America Free Trade Agreement when Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi voted no. That stand is more than 10 years old, so it supports at most a 2 (E18).
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 443, 2005
Jennifer Davis. In the 2026 general election she said she opposes using the Justice Department against political enemies and opposes gerrymandering, positions the Chicago Tribune notes President Trump has embraced.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Melissa Bean. Took part in a January 2026 primary candidate forum in Schaumburg before about 300 people and met the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. No 2026 general election debate record found.
Sources: Shaw Local (Daily Herald), Jan. 16, 2026, Chicago Tribune editorial, Feb. 9, 2026
Jennifer Davis. Took part in a League of Women Voters forum for the 2026 Republican primary and in the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board's candidate discussions. No 2026 general election debate record found.
Sources: Shaw Local (Daily Herald), Feb. 17, 2026, Chicago Tribune editorial, Feb. 9, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Melissa Bean. Served three terms in the U.S. House (2005 to 2011) and later led the Executives' Club of Chicago and Mesirow Wealth Advisors. No censure, reprimand or ethics finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, Melissa Bean, Chicago Tribune editorial, Feb. 9, 2026
Jennifer Davis. 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.
Melissa Bean. Voted Nay on the January 2005 objection to Ohio's certified electors. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Jennifer Davis. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Melissa Bean. Represented the 8th District in the U.S. House for three terms, 2005 to 2011; later held executive posts at JPMorgan Chase and Mesirow Financial.
Sources: Chicago Tribune editorial, Feb. 9, 2026, GovTrack, Melissa Bean
Jennifer Davis. Co-founded the service software company Davisware with her husband and later founded BExponential. Has not held public office.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Melissa Bean. Discussed current federal issues, including the 2025 shutdown and health care subsidies, with the Tribune Editorial Board; no detailed platform was readable on her campaign site.
Jennifer Davis. Publishes an issues page on small business, education and public safety with some data, mostly in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, Issues
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Melissa Bean. Gave an editorial board interview and publishes campaign statements. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Chicago Tribune editorial, Feb. 9, 2026, Ballotpedia, Melissa Bean
Jennifer Davis. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, publishes an issues page and met with the Tribune Editorial Board.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jennifer Davis, Campaign site, Issues, Chicago Tribune editorial, Feb. 9, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Melissa Bean. Lives in Barrington per the Daily Herald (the FEC lists Schaumburg); both lie in the district, which she represented from 2005 to 2011. FEC by-state totals show about 45 percent of itemized contributions from Illinois.
Sources: Shaw Local (Daily Herald), Jan. 16, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state, Chicago Tribune editorial, Feb. 9, 2026, Chicago Tribune (via Yahoo), Oct. 7, 2026
Jennifer Davis. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Melissa Bean. Was CEO and president of Mesirow Wealth Advisors, a $29 billion wealth unit, from 2019, after serving as JPMorgan Chase's Midwest chairman and CEO of the Executives' Club of Chicago. Campaign reports on file; no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: WealthManagement.com, March 14, 2019, CBS Chicago, March 2, 2011, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Jennifer Davis. 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.
Melissa Bean. Her last scored Congress (111th) rated below expectations on the classic Legislative Effectiveness Score; raised to 2 under E14 for her Preservation Approval Process Improvement Act, enacted in 2007.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 1675 (110th Congress)
Jennifer Davis. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Melissa Bean. Missed 171 of 4,745 roll call votes, 3.6 percent, from January 2005 to December 2010.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Jennifer Davis. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Melissa Bean. No public record found.
Jennifer Davis. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Melissa Bean. Her enacted 2007 bill had two Republican and two Democratic cosponsors. Lugar Center scores for her House terms were not retrieved.
Jennifer Davis. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Melissa Bean. No public record found.
Jennifer Davis. 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 8th Congressional District?
Melissa Bean has the strongest record in Illinois's 8th Congressional District. Melissa Bean scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Melissa Bean's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Jennifer Davis (7 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 8th Congressional District in 2026?
Melissa Bean (Democratic), Jennifer Davis (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Melissa Bean a good candidate for Congress?
Melissa Bean scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Jennifer Davis a good candidate for Congress?
Jennifer Davis 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 Illinois race scored, and the Illinois 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.