U.S. House, Massachusetts 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Massachusetts's 2nd Congressional District?
Jim McGovern has the strongest record in Massachusetts's 2nd Congressional District. Jim McGovern scores 70 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jim McGovern's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Jim McGovern
On the ballot as James P. McGovern
70 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 69
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.
Jim McGovern
- On the record2025-03-18
Held a town hall in Greenfield that drew more than 700 people, his sixth town hall event of 2025.
- On the record2024-07-31
China's Foreign Ministry announced sanctions against him for what it called interference in its affairs; WBUR reported the measures are symbolic because he has no assets or business in China.
Source: WBUR, Aug. 1, 2024
- On the record2023-05-31
Voted No on the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries supported.
- On the record2021-01-06
Voted Nay on both House objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electors.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- On the record2019-12
As Rules Committee chairman, presided over the committee's consideration of the articles of impeachment against President Trump.
Source: Boston Globe, Dec. 17, 2019
- On the record2017-01-06
Objected in the joint session to Alabama's certified electoral votes, citing Russian interference; Vice President Biden ruled the objection could not be entertained without a senator's signature.
Sources: Congressional Record, Jan. 6, 2017, H186, CNN, Jan. 6, 2017
- On the record2012-03-16
Was arrested in civil disobedience protests outside Sudan's embassy in Washington in 2009 and again in 2012, when he paid a $100 fine.
Sources: CBS Boston, March 16, 2012, CBS Boston, March 18, 2012, VOA, April 28, 2009
- Credit2021-12-23
His bill barring imports made with forced labor in China's Xinjiang region, H.R. 6256, was signed into law.
Source: GovTrack, H.R. 6256 (117th)
- Credit2016-10
Received a James Beard Foundation Leadership Award for his work on ending hunger.
Source: Boston Globe, Sept. 20, 2016
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Jim McGovern. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed May 12, 2026; FEC reports on file. No House Ethics Committee finding naming him and no FEC administrative fine found. No periodic transaction reports in the Clerk index for 2019 to 2026.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075749, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00285171
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Jim McGovern. Voted against Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on three significant measures: No on the Fiscal Responsibility Act (May 31, 2023), Nay on the March 22, 2024 appropriations package and Nay on the April 2024 Israel aid bill.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, May 31, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 102, March 22, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 152, April 20, 2024
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Jim McGovern. Held his sixth open town hall of 2025 in Greenfield in March 2025, drawing more than 700 people, after a 500-person Northampton coffee hour. He has no general election opponent.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Jim McGovern. U.S. representative since 1997 and Rules Committee chairman during the 2019 impeachment proceedings, with no formal conduct finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, Jim McGovern, Boston Globe, Dec. 17, 2019
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Jim McGovern. On Jan. 6, 2017 he rose in the joint session to object to Alabama's certified electoral votes; the objection was not entertained without a senator's signature. He voted Nay on the 2005 and 2021 objections.
Sources: Congressional Record, Jan. 6, 2017, H186, CNN, Jan. 6, 2017, House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 7, Jan. 6, 2005
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Jim McGovern. U.S. representative since 1997, now representing the 2nd district since 2013.
Source: GovTrack, Jim McGovern
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Jim McGovern. Ranking member of the House Rules Committee, which he chaired, and a member of the Agriculture Committee's nutrition subcommittee.
Sources: GovTrack, Jim McGovern, Boston Globe, Dec. 17, 2019
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Jim McGovern. Publishes a newsletter and issue pages through his office and holds open town halls. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Daily Hampshire Gazette, March 20, 2025
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Jim McGovern. Born and raised in Worcester's Burncoat neighborhood. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 55 percent of itemized individual contributions from Massachusetts.
Sources: Office site, About, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Jim McGovern. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through Aug. 12, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00285171
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Jim McGovern. Center for Effective Lawmaking rates him Meets Expectations for the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 of 0.578 against 0.577). GovTrack counts 15 enacted bills as primary sponsor, including the 2021 Uyghur forced labor import law.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, Jim McGovern, GovTrack, H.R. 6256 (117th)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Jim McGovern. Missed 267 of 18,577 roll call votes, 1.4 percent, from January 1997 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, Jim McGovern
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Jim McGovern. Keeps district offices in Worcester, Northampton and Leominster and publishes casework figures: 2,245 constituents helped and 61,517 letters, calls and emails answered.
Source: Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Jim McGovern. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of minus 0.68976 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 264 of 436, a negative score above the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Jim McGovern. 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 Massachusetts's 2nd Congressional District?
Jim McGovern has the strongest record in Massachusetts's 2nd Congressional District. Jim McGovern scores 70 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jim McGovern's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Massachusetts's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Jim McGovern (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Jim McGovern a good candidate for Congress?
Jim McGovern scores 70 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 69 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 Massachusetts race scored, and the Massachusetts 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.