U.S. House, Minnesota 4th Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Minnesota's 4th Congressional District?
Betty McCollum has the strongest record in Minnesota's 4th Congressional District. Betty McCollum scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 5, 2026. Betty McCollum's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Paul Wikstrom (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.
DFL · incumbent
Strongest record
Betty McCollum
64 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 56
Republican
Paul Wikstrom
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 63
- 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.
Betty McCollum
- On the record2026-08-16
The Star Tribune reported on August 16, 2026 that as top Democrat on defense appropriations she steered hundreds of millions of Pentagon dollars to Minnesota; she denied directing funds to specific companies.
Sources: Star Tribune, August 16, 2026, Star Tribune, August 16, 2026 (summary article)
- On the record2026-08-16
The same reporting found her former chief of staff, now a defense lobbyist, is her campaign adviser and PAC treasurer, and that defense industry donations rose from $400 in 2000 to over $220,000 this cycle.
Sources: Star Tribune, August 16, 2026, Star Tribune, August 18, 2026
- On the record2024-07-19
On July 19, 2024, she publicly called on President Joe Biden, the head of her own party, to release his delegates and leave the presidential race.
Source: Pioneer Press, July 19, 2024
- On the record2012-03-01
On March 1, 2012, she voted against the St. Croix River Crossing bridge bill, which passed 339 to 80 with House Democratic leaders, Minnesota's DFL governor and both DFL senators in support.
Sources: Clerk of the House, Roll Call 93, 2012, MinnPost, February 29, 2012
- On the record2002-10-10
On October 10, 2002, she voted against the resolution authorizing the use of military force against Iraq, which passed 296 to 133; House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt voted for it.
Sources: Clerk of the House, Roll Call 455, 2002, Star Tribune, August 16, 2026
- Credit2022-12-29
She was named chair of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee in January 2021, and the Defense appropriations bills she sponsored for fiscal 2022 and 2023 were enacted inside consolidated appropriations acts.
Sources: Defense Daily, January 25, 2021, GovTrack, H.R. 4432 (117th), Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2022, sponsor McCollum, status Enacted Via Other Measures (H.R. 2471), GovTrack, H.R. 8236 (117th), Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2023, sponsor McCollum, incorporated into H.R. 2617
- Credit2021-09-27
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars named her and Republican Senator Roger Wicker the recipients of its Daniel Patrick Moynihan Award for Congressional Service, scheduled for presentation on September 27, 2021.
- Credit2020-12-23
Two bills she sponsored became law through companion measures: the PEPFAR orphans and vulnerable children bill on December 11, 2018 and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act on December 23, 2020.
Sources: GovTrack, H.R. 733 (116th), Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act, sponsor McCollum, enacted as S. 199, GovTrack, H.R. 6856 (115th), PEPFAR and Protections for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Act of 2018, sponsor McCollum, enacted as H.R. 6651
Paul Wikstrom
- On the record2024-11-11
Between August 31 and November 11, 2024, volunteers for his campaign watched his opponent's house and apartment more than 60 times and took notes, pictures and video that were used as evidence in the contest.
Sources: Pioneer Press, December 20, 2024, Star Tribune, December 20, 2024
- On the record2024-03-07
On March 7, 2024, a Minnesota administrative law judge dismissed a campaign finance complaint he filed against four Mounds View school board candidates and two DFL party units, finding no prima facie violation.
Source: Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings, Order of Dismissal, OAH 71-0325-39876
- Credit2024-12-20
On December 20, 2024, a Ramsey County District Court judge granted the election contest he filed and ruled that Curtis Johnson, the winner of Minnesota House District 40B, had not met the six-month residency requirement.
Sources: Minnesota Supreme Court, Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Walz, A25-0017, opinion filed March 5, 2025 (facts section), Star Tribune, December 20, 2024, Pioneer Press, December 20, 2024
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Betty McCollum. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed May 8, 2026. House Ethics Committee site search returns no documents naming her. FEC administrative fine search returns no cases.
Sources: Clerk of the House, 2025 annual financial disclosure, House Committee on Ethics search, FEC administrative fines search
Paul Wikstrom. House candidate financial disclosure report filed July 12, 2026. FEC reports on file. FEC administrative fine search returns no cases.
Sources: Clerk of the House, candidate financial disclosure report, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Betty McCollum. Voted against her party's House leaders on the Iraq war resolution (2002), the St. Croix bridge bill (2012) and H.R. 7024 (2024), and on July 19, 2024 called on President Biden to leave the presidential race.
Sources: Clerk of the House, Roll Call 30, 2024, Office press release, Pioneer Press, July 19, 2024, Clerk of the House, Roll Call 93, 2012, MinnPost, February 29, 2012, Clerk of the House, Roll Call 455, 2002, Star Tribune, August 16, 2026
Paul Wikstrom. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Betty McCollum. Hosted a Medicaid town hall in Stillwater on May 31, 2025 and publishes written statements explaining her votes. No 2026 general election debate or forum for this race was found.
Sources: Office press release, Office site, Statements for the Record
Paul Wikstrom. Gave on-the-record interviews to MinnPost and the Star Tribune in 2026. No 2026 general election debate or forum for this race was found in news coverage or League of Women Voters listings.
Sources: MinnPost, September 2026, Star Tribune
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Betty McCollum. In elected office since 1987 (city council, Minnesota House, U.S. House). House Ethics Committee site search returns no documents naming her.
Sources: Office site, About, House Committee on Ethics search
Paul Wikstrom. About 35 years in engineering and management roles per his campaign site. No formal conduct finding found.
Source: Campaign site
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Betty McCollum. Voted Nay on the January 6, 2005 objection (Roll 7) and on both January 2021 objections (Rolls 10 and 11). House roll call lists show no recorded vote on an objection in January 2001 or January 2017.
Sources: Clerk of the House, Roll Call 7, 2005, Clerk of the House, Roll Call 10, 2021, Clerk of the House, Roll Call 11, 2021
Paul Wikstrom. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Betty McCollum. Has held this seat since January 2001. Earlier served in the Minnesota House from 1993 to 2000 and on the North St. Paul City Council from 1987 to 1992.
Sources: Office site, About, GovTrack
Paul Wikstrom. Engineer and engineering manager for about 35 years at Minnesota medical technology and aerospace companies, currently employed by Collins Aerospace. No prior government service found.
Sources: Campaign site, Star Tribune
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Betty McCollum. Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and member of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee. Office site publishes 19 issue pages.
Paul Wikstrom. Publishes issue positions and a 7-point plan on fraud in federal spending, stated as short bullet points.
Sources: Campaign site, Solutions page, Campaign site
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Betty McCollum. Publishes a weekly email newsletter and written explanations of votes, and answered the Community Reporter 2026 election guide. Has not completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey for 2026.
Sources: Office site, Weekly Newsletter, Campaign site, News, Ballotpedia
Paul Wikstrom. Completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Publishes issue positions and dated press releases on his campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia candidate page, Campaign site, Media page
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Betty McCollum. Minnesota native who grew up in South St. Paul, raised her family in North St. Paul and lives in Saint Paul. In-state share of individual contributions, 2025 to 2026: 48.0 percent ($392,924 of $819,468, OpenSecrets).
Sources: Office site, About, OpenSecrets, Geography, 2026 cycle
Paul Wikstrom. Shoreview resident who states he has lived there since 1996 and raised three children there. All $17,640 in itemized individual contributions through July 22, 2026 came from Minnesota addresses.
Sources: Ballotpedia, submitted biography, FEC Pre-Primary report, FEC-2003142, FEC July Quarterly report, FEC-1998325
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Betty McCollum. FEC lists 2025 and 2026 quarterly and pre-primary reports filed on their due dates. FEC administrative fine search returns no cases.
Sources: FEC electronic filings, McCollum for Congress, FEC administrative fines search
Paul Wikstrom. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Betty McCollum. Center for Effective Lawmaking rated her below expectations for the 118th Congress (0.061 against a benchmark of 0.523). As Defense Appropriations Subcommittee chair she sponsored the fiscal 2022 and 2023 Defense bills, enacted inside consolidated acts.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House data file, row McCollum, Betty, Congress 118, cell value 1, GovTrack, Defense Daily, January 25, 2021, GovTrack, H.R. 4432 (117th), Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2022, sponsor McCollum, status Enacted Via Other Measures (H.R. 2471), GovTrack, H.R. 8236 (117th), Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2023, sponsor McCollum, incorporated into H.R. 2617
Paul Wikstrom. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Betty McCollum. Missed 314 of 16,176 roll call votes, 1.9 percent, from January 2001 to September 2026 (GovTrack).
Source: GovTrack
Paul Wikstrom. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Betty McCollum. One district office in St. Paul, open by appointment, with casework on federal agency problems offered. Staff office hours at city halls are shown as postponed. No casework totals published.
Sources: Office site, Office Locations, Office site, Help with a Federal Agency, Office site, Neighborhood Office Hours
Paul Wikstrom. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Betty McCollum. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index, 2023 House scores (118th Congress, first session): score of minus 0.96098, rank 322 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center, 2023 House Scores
Paul Wikstrom. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Betty McCollum. No public record found.
Paul Wikstrom. 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 5, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Minnesota's 4th Congressional District?
Betty McCollum has the strongest record in Minnesota's 4th Congressional District. Betty McCollum scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 5, 2026. Betty McCollum's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Paul Wikstrom (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 Minnesota's 4th Congressional District in 2026?
Betty McCollum (DFL, incumbent), Paul Wikstrom (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Betty McCollum a good candidate for Congress?
Betty McCollum scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 56 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Paul Wikstrom a good candidate for Congress?
Paul Wikstrom 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 Minnesota race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Minnesota 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.