U.S. House, Maryland 7th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Maryland's 7th Congressional District?
Kweisi Mfume has the strongest record in Maryland's 7th Congressional District. Kweisi Mfume scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Kweisi Mfume's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Scott Collier (0 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
Scott Collier
On the ballot as Scott M. Collier
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 0 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- NR
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Kweisi Mfume
64 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 90
- Performance
- 44
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.
Scott Collier
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Kweisi Mfume
- On the record2026-04-27
Declined primary challenger Mark Conway's April 2026 call for a debate.
Source: Baltimore Sun, Apr. 27, 2026
- On the record2026-05-27
Took part in an SEIU-hosted candidate forum with Conway, his first of the 2026 primary.
Source: Baltimore Sun, May 27, 2026
- On the record2025-09-19
Voted against the House resolution honoring Charlie Kirk, which Democratic Leader Jeffries supported.
- On the record2021-01-06 to 2021-01-07
Voted Nay on both House objections to certified presidential electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- On the record1996 to 2004
Left Congress in 1996 to lead the NAACP as president and CEO for nine years.
Source: Office site, Biography
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 is on file with the House Clerk, filed Aug. 13, 2026 under an extension. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found; no periodic transaction reports on the Clerk index.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077256, House Committee on Ethics site search for Mfume, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Voted Yea on the HALT Fentanyl Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act in 2025, and Nay on the Charlie Kirk resolution, the FY2026 defense authorization and a 2026 FISA extension, each against Leader Jeffries and most Democrats.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 33, 2025, HALT Fentanyl Act, House Clerk Roll Call 282, 2025, H.Res. 719, Charlie Kirk resolution, House Clerk Roll Call 320, 2025, S. 1071, FY2026 defense authorization, House Clerk Roll Call 155, 2026, FISA authorities extension
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Took part in a May 2026 primary candidate forum with challenger Mark Conway after declining Conway's April debate challenge. No 2026 general election debate found.
Sources: Baltimore Sun, May 27, 2026, Baltimore Sun, Apr. 27, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Has served in Congress, on the Baltimore City Council and as NAACP president over five decades. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: Office site, Biography, House Committee on Ethics site search for Mfume
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Has held sworn House office since 2020 (and 1987 to 1996) and voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, objection to Arizona electors, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, objection to Pennsylvania electors
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Has represented the 7th District since 2020 and earlier from 1987 to 1996; previously served seven years on the Baltimore City Council.
Source: GovTrack, Kweisi Mfume
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Ranking member of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations and a member of Foreign Affairs; gave detailed questionnaire answers on Pentagon audits and the Key Bridge.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Baltimore Sun voter guide, May 20, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Answered the Baltimore Sun and Banner 2026 questionnaires, publishes issue pages and took part in a primary candidate forum.
Sources: Baltimore Sun voter guide, May 20, 2026, The Baltimore Banner voter guide, MD-7, Baltimore Sun, May 27, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Born, raised and educated in Baltimore, which he has represented on the City Council and in Congress. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 78 percent of itemized individual contributions from Maryland.
Sources: Office site, Biography, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Led the NAACP as president and CEO for nine years (1996 to 2004). Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no debts and no administrative fine.
Sources: Office site, Biography, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.483 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.547, rated meets expectations. His enacted bills in that Congress named a post office and a visitor center.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Missed 383 of 7,876 roll call votes, 4.9 percent, over his House career (1987 to 1996 and 2020 to September 2026).
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Keeps district offices in Baltimore and Catonsville and offers casework with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, Office Locations
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.18759 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 369 of 436: bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Scott Collier. No public record found.
Kweisi Mfume. 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 Maryland's 7th Congressional District?
Kweisi Mfume has the strongest record in Maryland's 7th Congressional District. Kweisi Mfume scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Kweisi Mfume's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Scott Collier (0 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 Maryland's 7th Congressional District in 2026?
Scott Collier (Republican), Kweisi Mfume (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Scott Collier a good candidate for Congress?
Scott Collier has public evidence on 0 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 Kweisi Mfume a good candidate for Congress?
Kweisi Mfume scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 90 of 100, performance 44 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 Maryland race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Maryland 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.