U.S. House, Maryland 8th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Maryland's 8th Congressional District?
Jamie Raskin has the strongest record in Maryland's 8th Congressional District. Jamie Raskin scores 62 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jamie Raskin's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Cheryl Riley (5 of 15 criteria) and Nancy Wallace (3 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.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Jamie Raskin
62 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 44
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 56
Republican
Cheryl Riley
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 5 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 63
- Performance
- NR
Green
Nancy Wallace
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 3 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- 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.
Jamie Raskin
- Mark against2022-06-09
Reported a February 2022 exchange of his wife's i(X) shares about two months past the deadline and paid a $200 late-filing fee.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20020973, Business Insider, June 14, 2022
- Mark against2021-08-13
Reported his wife's Dec. 18, 2020 sale of Reserve Trust shares for about $1.5 million nearly eight months after the sale, past the STOCK Act deadline; he acknowledged the late filing.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20019320, Business Insider, Feb. 3, 2022, FOX Business, Feb. 3, 2022
- On the record2025-12-10
Voted against the FY2026 defense authorization, which Democratic Leader Jeffries and most House Democrats 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 record2017-01-06
Rose in the joint session to object to 10 of Florida's 29 electoral votes; the objection had no senator's signature and was not entertained.
- Credit2017 to 2026
Missed 53 of 5,079 House roll call votes from January 2017 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
- Credit2007 to 2014
The Center for Effective Lawmaking rated him above expectations as a Maryland state senator in the 2007 to 2010 and 2011 to 2014 terms, with 34 and 32 bills becoming law.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, state legislative effectiveness data
Cheryl Riley
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Nancy Wallace
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.
Jamie Raskin. Filed two stock trade reports late: his wife's December 2020 Reserve Trust sale nearly eight months after it occurred, and a February 2022 exchange about two months past deadline. He acknowledged both and paid a $200 late fee.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20019320, Business Insider, Feb. 3, 2022, FOX Business, Feb. 3, 2022, Business Insider, June 14, 2022
Cheryl Riley. A House candidate financial disclosure was filed May 22, 2026, and FEC reports are on file through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10078414, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Jamie Raskin. Voted Nay on the FY2026 defense authorization, a January 2026 appropriations bill and the KIDS Act, and Yea on H.R. 5334 concurrence, each against Democratic Leader Jeffries and most House Democrats.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 320, 2025, S. 1071, FY2026 defense authorization, House Clerk Roll Call 28, 2026, H.R. 7006, appropriations, House Clerk Roll Call 228, 2026, H.R. 7757, KIDS Act, House Clerk Roll Call 308, 2026, H.R. 5334, concurrence
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Jamie Raskin. No public record found.
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Jamie Raskin. Has served nearly two decades in the Maryland Senate and the U.S. House, including as lead manager in the 2021 impeachment trial. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding names him.
Sources: Office site, About, House Committee on Ethics site search for Raskin
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. 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.
Jamie Raskin. On Jan. 6, 2017 he rose on the House floor to object to 10 of Florida's certified electoral votes, entered in the Congressional Record; with no senator's signature it was not entertained. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, Congressional Record, House, Jan. 6, 2017
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Jamie Raskin. In his fifth U.S. House term (since 2017) after three terms in the Maryland Senate, where he was majority whip.
Source: Office site, About
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Jamie Raskin. Ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee in the 119th Congress; a former constitutional law professor who answered The Banner's 2026 questionnaire.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, About, The Baltimore Banner voter guide, MD-8
Cheryl Riley. Publishes positions on safety, prosperity and freedom in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Nancy Wallace. Publishes a general platform centered on a transition to renewable energy and green jobs.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Jamie Raskin. Answered The Banner's 2026 questionnaire, publishes a monthly newsletter (The Raskin Roundup) and issue statements. Did not complete the Baltimore Sun pre-primary questionnaire.
Sources: The Baltimore Banner voter guide, MD-8, Office site, Newsletter Archive, Baltimore Sun voter guide, May 20, 2026
Cheryl Riley. Publishes issue positions on her campaign site. Did not complete the Baltimore Sun or Banner 2026 questionnaires.
Sources: Campaign site, home page, The Baltimore Banner voter guide, MD-8
Nancy Wallace. Publishes a campaign site with her platform. Was not in the primary and so was not sent the Baltimore Sun pre-primary questionnaire.
Sources: Campaign site, home page, Baltimore Sun voter guide, May 20, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Jamie Raskin. Lives in Takoma Park and represented Montgomery County's District 20 in the Maryland Senate from 2007 to 2016. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 33 percent of itemized individual contributions from Maryland.
Sources: Maryland State Board of Elections candidate list, Center for Effective Lawmaking, state legislative effectiveness data, FEC contribution totals by state
Cheryl Riley. Says she grew up in Montgomery County and lists a Rockville address. About 91 percent of itemized individual contributions for 2025 to 2026 came from Maryland, per FEC by-state totals.
Sources: Campaign site, home page, Maryland State Board of Elections candidate list, FEC contribution totals by state
Nancy Wallace. Lists a Bethesda address in Montgomery County with the State Board of Elections.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Jamie Raskin. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no debts owed by the committee. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Cheryl Riley. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no debts owed by the committee. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Jamie Raskin. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.313 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.535, rated meets expectations. His one enacted sponsored bill authorized a Thomas Paine memorial. Rated above expectations as a state senator, 2007 to 2014.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, Center for Effective Lawmaking, state legislative effectiveness data
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Jamie Raskin. Missed 53 of 5,079 roll call votes, 1.0 percent, from January 2017 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Jamie Raskin. Keeps a district office in Rockville and offers casework with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Jamie Raskin. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.14816 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 361 of 436: bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Jamie Raskin. No public record found.
Cheryl Riley. No public record found.
Nancy Wallace. 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 8th Congressional District?
Jamie Raskin has the strongest record in Maryland's 8th Congressional District. Jamie Raskin scores 62 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jamie Raskin's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Cheryl Riley (5 of 15 criteria) and Nancy Wallace (3 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 Maryland's 8th Congressional District in 2026?
Jamie Raskin (Democratic, incumbent), Cheryl Riley (Republican), Nancy Wallace (Green). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Jamie Raskin a good candidate for Congress?
Jamie Raskin scores 62 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 44 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 56 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Cheryl Riley a good candidate for Congress?
Cheryl Riley has public evidence on 5 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 Nancy Wallace a good candidate for Congress?
Nancy Wallace 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.
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.