U.S. House, Mississippi 3rd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District?
Michael Guest has the strongest record in Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District. Michael Guest scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Michael Guest's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Michael Chiaradio (7 of 15 criteria) and Erik Kiehle (4 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
Michael Chiaradio
On the ballot as Michael A. Chiaradio
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Michael Guest
60 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 44
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 50
Libertarian
Erik Kiehle
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 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.
Michael Chiaradio
- Creditbefore 2023
Founded a professional softball league in Satsuma, Alabama, after playing in the inaugural season of what became the Empire Professional Baseball League.
Michael Guest
- Mark against2022-03-11
The FEC closed administrative fine case AF 4247 against Friends of Michael Guest with a $3,181 fine for missed 48-hour contribution notices in 2020.
Source: FEC administrative fines search, committee C00665752
- Mark against2021-11 and 2026-08
Reported a family trust's stock sales past the STOCK Act deadline twice, in November 2021 for January 2021 sales and in August 2026 for December 2025 sales; he paid a $200 late fee in 2021.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20035130, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20019676, Mississippi Today (NOTUS), Aug. 17, 2026
- On the record2023-01
Became chairman of the House Ethics Committee in January 2023 after serving as its ranking member.
Source: Mississippi Today, Jan. 23, 2023
- On the record2020-12 to 2021-01
Signed the House amicus brief backing Texas v. Pennsylvania and voted Yea on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electors.
Sources: Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- Credit2024-03-18
His END FENTANYL Act was enacted March 18, 2024, through its identical Senate bill, S. 206.
Erik Kiehle
- On the record2026-05
The Libertarian Party of Mississippi publicly disavowed his candidacy in May 2026 over his online comment that Nazis were patriots; he defended the comment.
Source: Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 24, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Michael Chiaradio. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure is on file. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077215, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00907386
Michael Guest. Filed periodic transaction reports past the STOCK Act deadline in 2021 (January sales reported in November, $200 late fee paid) and in 2026 (December 2025 sales reported in August 2026), as his own filings state and Mississippi Today reported.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20035130, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20019676, Mississippi Today (NOTUS), Aug. 17, 2026
Erik Kiehle. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Michael Chiaradio. No public record found.
Michael Guest. Voted against all three top House Republican leaders on the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act and, in 2024, the March appropriations package, the Ukraine supplemental and the September continuing resolution.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023 (Fiscal Responsibility Act), House Clerk Roll Call 151, 2024 (Ukraine supplemental), House Clerk Roll Call 450, 2024
Erik Kiehle. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Michael Chiaradio. Spoke at the Neshoba County Fair political forum on June 24, 2026. No 2026 debate found.
Sources: Magnolia Tribune, June 24, 2026, Mississippi Today, June 24, 2026
Michael Guest. No public record found.
Erik Kiehle. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Michael Chiaradio. No public record found.
Michael Guest. Assistant district attorney from 1995 to 2007, elected district attorney for Madison and Rankin counties in 2007, and in Congress since 2019, where he chairs the Ethics Committee. No censure or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Michael Guest
Erik Kiehle. 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.
Michael Chiaradio. No public record found.
Michael Guest. Voted Yea on the Jan. 6, 2021 objection to Arizona's electors and the Jan. 7, 2021 objection to Pennsylvania's electors, and signed the House amicus brief in Texas v. Pennsylvania.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives
Erik Kiehle. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Michael Chiaradio. Former independent professional baseball player who founded a professional softball league, worked for a government health care contractor and now farms in Shubuta. Has not held public office.
Michael Guest. In the U.S. House since January 2019, seeking a fifth term; earlier ten years as an elected district attorney.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Michael Guest, Mississippi Today, Sept. 18, 2026
Erik Kiehle. A property management business owner, volunteer firefighter and pilot. Has not held public office.
Sources: Starkville Daily News, Sept. 23, 2026, Ballotpedia, Erik Kiehle
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Michael Chiaradio. Publishes positions in general terms on health care, infrastructure investment and small business access to capital; Magnolia Tribune notes he did not name a single policy for his economic goals.
Sources: Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 24, 2026, Mississippi Today, Sept. 18, 2026
Michael Guest. Chairs the House Ethics Committee and the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement, and sits on Appropriations.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Erik Kiehle. Publishes general positions, including a balanced budget amendment, an end to deficit spending, federal voter ID and ending foreign military aid.
Sources: Mississippi Today, Sept. 18, 2026, Ballotpedia, Erik Kiehle, 2026 survey
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Michael Chiaradio. Completed Ballotpedia's survey in 2025, answered the Starkville Daily News questionnaire, appeared on Mississippi Today's podcast and spoke at the Neshoba County Fair.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Michael Chiaradio, Starkville Daily News, Sept. 23, 2026, Magnolia Tribune, June 24, 2026
Michael Guest. Answered the Starkville Daily News 2026 questionnaire and Magnolia Tribune's candidate questions, and offers an e-newsletter. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Starkville Daily News, Sept. 23, 2026, Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 24, 2026, Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Michael Guest
Erik Kiehle. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and answered the Starkville Daily News questionnaire; did not respond to Magnolia Tribune.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Erik Kiehle, Starkville Daily News, Sept. 23, 2026, Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 24, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Michael Chiaradio. Raised in New Jersey; bought a home on farmland in Shubuta, in the district, in 2023. About 14 percent of itemized individual contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Mississippi (FEC by-state totals, $8,875 of $65,565).
Sources: Mississippi Today, Sept. 18, 2026, Ballotpedia, Michael Chiaradio, FEC contribution totals by state
Michael Guest. Of Brandon in Rankin County, where he served as an assistant and elected district attorney from 1995 to 2018. About 64 percent of itemized individual contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Mississippi (FEC by-state totals, $286,886 of $448,759).
Sources: Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 23, 2026, Ballotpedia, Michael Guest, FEC contribution totals by state
Erik Kiehle. Lives in Meridian, in the district.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Michael Chiaradio. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with $17,149 in debts reported and no administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00907386
Michael Guest. The FEC closed administrative fine case AF 4247 against Friends of Michael Guest on March 11, 2022 with a $3,181 fine for 2020 48-hour contribution notices.
Source: FEC administrative fines search, committee C00665752
Erik Kiehle. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Michael Chiaradio. No public record found.
Michael Guest. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.588 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 2.421, below expectations. Raised to 2 under E14: his END FENTANYL Act was enacted March 18, 2024.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress (Guest MS row, 118th), GovTrack, H.R. 1401 (118th Congress), GovTrack, enacted legislation
Erik Kiehle. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Michael Chiaradio. No public record found.
Michael Guest. Missed 142 of 3,869 roll call votes, 3.7 percent, from January 2019 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Erik Kiehle. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Michael Chiaradio. No public record found.
Michael Guest. Lists district offices in Brandon, Starkville, Brookhaven and Meridian. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, office list
Erik Kiehle. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Michael Chiaradio. No public record found.
Michael Guest. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.17884 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 166 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Erik Kiehle. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Michael Chiaradio. No public record found.
Michael Guest. No public record found.
Erik Kiehle. 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. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District?
Michael Guest has the strongest record in Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District. Michael Guest scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Michael Guest's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Michael Chiaradio (7 of 15 criteria) and Erik Kiehle (4 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 Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District in 2026?
Michael Chiaradio (Democratic), Michael Guest (Republican, incumbent), Erik Kiehle (Libertarian). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Michael Chiaradio a good candidate for Congress?
Michael Chiaradio 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.
Is Michael Guest a good candidate for Congress?
Michael Guest scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 44 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Erik Kiehle a good candidate for Congress?
Erik Kiehle has public evidence on 4 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 Mississippi race scored, and the Mississippi 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.