U.S. House, Indiana 3rd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Indiana's 3rd Congressional District?
Marlin Stutzman has the strongest record in Indiana's 3rd Congressional District. Marlin Stutzman scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Marlin Stutzman's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Phil Beachy (3 of 15 criteria) and Kelly Thompson (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.
Write-in
Phil Beachy
On the ballot as Phillip D. Beachy (Phil)
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 3 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 58
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Marlin Stutzman
On the ballot as Marlin A. Stutzman
58 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 42
Democratic
Kelly Thompson
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- 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.
Phil Beachy
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Marlin Stutzman
- Mark against2017-08-17
The FEC fined his Senate campaign committee $4,032 for 2016 48-hour contribution notices; the case closed Aug. 17, 2017.
Source: FEC administrative fines search
- On the record2025-07
Is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan Dignity Act (H.R. 4393) and in April 2026 publicly defended it as conservatives criticized backers and formed a PAC to back primary challengers.
Sources: GovTrack, H.R. 4393 (119th) cosponsors, Yahoo News (Nicholas Wu), Apr. 22, 2026
Kelly Thompson
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.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. His 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed Aug. 12, 2026, after an extension; the Clerk index lists no periodic transaction reports for him. A 2016 House Ethics review of campaign spending was never resolved (see Record); no finding was made.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10081587, House Committee on Ethics statement, Nov. 29, 2016
Kelly Thompson. A House candidate financial disclosure is on file (filed Sept. 30, 2026) and committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10082997, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. Is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan Dignity Act on immigration and publicly defended it in 2026 as conservatives formed a PAC to back primary challengers to its backers; also split from his leadership on 2025 and 2026 roll calls.
Sources: GovTrack, H.R. 4393 (119th) cosponsors, Yahoo News (Nicholas Wu), Apr. 22, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 82, 2026
Kelly Thompson. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. No public record found.
Kelly Thompson. Gave an unedited in-studio interview to WBOI for its 2026 voter guide and scheduled an Oct. 6, 2026 town hall open to the public in Wells County.
Sources: WFYI 2026 Voter Guide, Sept. 21, 2026, Bluffton News-Banner, Oct. 3, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. Served in the Indiana House and Senate and in Congress from 2010 to 2017 and since 2025. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Marlin Stutzman
Kelly Thompson. 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.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. Has held sworn state and federal office since 2002, with a gap from 2017 to 2025; he was not in Congress for the January 2021 electoral count or the December 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania brief. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Marlin Stutzman
Kelly Thompson. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. In the U.S. House from 2010 to 2017 and again since 2025, seeking a fifth term; earlier six years in the Indiana House and two in the Indiana Senate.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Marlin Stutzman, WFYI 2026 Voter Guide, Sept. 21, 2026
Kelly Thompson. Co-owner of Thompson Concrete, a concrete contracting company, and founder of a nonprofit for at-risk youth. Has not held elected office; ran for the Indiana House in 2020.
Sources: WFYI 2026 Voter Guide, Sept. 21, 2026, Campaign site, About Me
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Phil Beachy. Publishes general positions on money in politics, tax fairness, a balanced budget, Social Security and Medicare.
Source: Campaign site
Marlin Stutzman. Serves on the House Budget and Financial Services committees. No chair or ranking post found.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Kelly Thompson. Publishes positions on health care, child care, education, data centers and tariffs; plans such as universal child care and health care are stated in general terms.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Phil Beachy. Publishes a campaign site with plain-language issue pages; no questionnaire answers found.
Source: Campaign site
Marlin Stutzman. Offers an e-mail newsletter and publishes issue pages. Did not accept the WBOI and WFYI interview; has not completed Ballotpedia's survey.
Sources: Office site, About, WFYI 2026 Voter Guide, Sept. 21, 2026
Kelly Thompson. Completed Ballotpedia's survey in 2025, gave a full WBOI interview and publishes policy pages.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Kelly Thompson, WFYI 2026 Voter Guide, Sept. 21, 2026, Campaign site, About Me
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Phil Beachy. Says he was born in Fort Wayne, grew up near Harlan, attended Woodlan High School and worked about 40 years at his family's grocery.
Source: Campaign site
Marlin Stutzman. A fourth-generation farmer from Howe in LaGrange County who represented the area in the legislature. FEC by-state totals show about 62 percent of itemized individual contributions from Indiana.
Sources: Office site, About, WFYI 2026 Voter Guide, Sept. 21, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Kelly Thompson. Lives in North Webster in Kosciusko County, which the Census geocoder places in the 3rd District. FEC by-state totals show about 82 percent of itemized individual contributions from Indiana.
Sources: WFYI 2026 Voter Guide, Sept. 21, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. The FEC fined his Senate committee, registered as Stutzman for Congress, $4,032 in 2017 for 2016 48-hour contribution notices. Current committee reports are on file through June 30, 2026.
Sources: FEC administrative fines search, FEC candidate page
Kelly Thompson. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. His latest Center for Effective Lawmaking score, for the 114th Congress (2015 to 2016), was below expectations; the 119th Congress is not yet scored. His one enacted sponsored bill named a post office (2012).
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Kelly Thompson. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. Missed 191 of 4,905 roll call votes, 3.9 percent, from November 2010 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Kelly Thompson. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. Lists a district office in Fort Wayne and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, About
Kelly Thompson. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. No public record found.
Kelly Thompson. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Phil Beachy. No public record found.
Marlin Stutzman. No public record found.
Kelly Thompson. 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; scorecard updated 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 Indiana's 3rd Congressional District?
Marlin Stutzman has the strongest record in Indiana's 3rd Congressional District. Marlin Stutzman scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Marlin Stutzman's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Phil Beachy (3 of 15 criteria) and Kelly Thompson (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 Indiana's 3rd Congressional District in 2026?
Phil Beachy (Write-in), Marlin Stutzman (Republican, incumbent), Kelly Thompson (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Phil Beachy a good candidate for Congress?
Phil Beachy 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 Marlin Stutzman a good candidate for Congress?
Marlin Stutzman scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 42 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Kelly Thompson a good candidate for Congress?
Kelly Thompson 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 Indiana race scored, and the Indiana 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.