U.S. House, Missouri 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Missouri's 2nd Congressional District?
Ann Wagner has the strongest record in Missouri's 2nd Congressional District. Ann Wagner scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Fred Wellman at 53, as of October 6, 2026. Ann Wagner's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Fred Wellman's highest marks are communication. Brandon Daugherty (4 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.
Libertarian
Brandon Daugherty
On the ballot as Brandon Coulter Daugherty
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 56
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Ann Wagner
67 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 75
Democratic
Fred Wellman
53 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- 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.
Brandon Daugherty
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Ann Wagner
- Mark against2023-09-28
The FEC assessed Ann Wagner for Congress a $3,560 civil penalty for 2022 48-hour contribution notices not timely filed; the finding was upheld Sept. 28, 2023, and paid in full.
Source: FEC Administrative Fine #4659
- On the record2021-01-06
Signed the December 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania amicus brief, then voted against both January 2021 objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania electors, unlike most House Republicans.
Sources: Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
- Credit2025-12-02
Sponsored the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requiring periodic State Department reviews of its Taiwan guidelines; signed into law Dec. 2, 2025.
Source: GovTrack, H.R. 1512 (119th)
- Credit2024-07-30
Sponsored the Debbie Smith Act of 2023, reauthorizing DNA backlog grants, which drew 85 cosponsors from both parties and was signed into law July 30, 2024.
Source: GovTrack, H.R. 1105 (118th)
Fred Wellman
- On the record2020-07
Filed for personal bankruptcy twice, in 2003 and in 2020, and is paying off liens, per St. Louis Magazine; STLPR reports he alluded to his bankruptcy in his opening campaign ad.
Sources: St. Louis Magazine, STLPR, Oct. 1, 2025
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed with the House Clerk on May 13, 2026. Her electronically filed 2025 and 2026 periodic transaction reports were filed within 45 days of each trade. No House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075727, House Committee on Ethics site search
Fred Wellman. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 15, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Aug. 13, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075514, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00921528
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. Voted Nay on the January 2021 objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania electors when Leader McCarthy and Whip Scalise voted Yea, and voted Yea on the 2026 ROTOR Act when the Speaker, Majority Leader and Whip voted Nay.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 72, 2026, ROTOR Act
Fred Wellman. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. No public record found.
Fred Wellman. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg from 2005 to 2009, former Missouri Republican Party chair, and in Congress since 2013. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: House office biography, GovTrack, House Committee on Ethics site search
Fred Wellman. Served 22 years in the Army and later led the Lincoln Project as executive director. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, STLPR, Oct. 1, 2025
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. Signed the December 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania amicus brief, then voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors (E2). Sworn ambassador and House member with no misuse-of-office finding.
Sources: Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief, House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
Fred Wellman. Served in the U.S. Army from 1987 to 2010 after graduating from West Point; no official finding of misconduct in service found.
Source: Ballotpedia
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Brandon Daugherty. Works in hospitality management, with a 2020 associate degree from St. Charles Community College; vice chair of the St. Charles County Libertarian Party. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia
Ann Wagner. In the U.S. House since January 2013, now seeking a seventh term; former U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg.
Sources: GovTrack, Ballotpedia
Fred Wellman. A West Point graduate and Army aviator for 22 years with combat tours in Desert Storm and Iraq, then a veterans advocate, consultant, executive director of the Lincoln Project and podcast host. Has not held elected office.
Sources: Campaign site, STLPR, Oct. 1, 2025
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Brandon Daugherty. States general positions on individual liberty, lower taxes and a non-interventionist foreign policy in his 2024 Ballotpedia survey.
Source: Ballotpedia, 2024 survey
Ann Wagner. Chairs the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and the Intelligence Subcommittee on Open Source Intelligence; sponsored 10 bills that were enacted.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Fred Wellman. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey with positions on costs, health care, Social Security, ethics and war powers, including a ban on stock trading by members; mostly general.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Candidate Connection survey, Campaign site
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Brandon Daugherty. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024; has not completed the 2026 survey.
Source: Ballotpedia
Ann Wagner. Offers an e-newsletter and publishes issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020, 2022, 2024 or 2026.
Sources: House office site, Ballotpedia
Fred Wellman. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, hosts a public affairs podcast, and publishes issue statements on his campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia, STLPR, Oct. 1, 2025, Campaign site
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Brandon Daugherty. Says he lives in O'Fallon and grew up in rural Warren County, both in the 2nd District.
Source: Ballotpedia, 2024 survey
Ann Wagner. Born and raised in St. Louis; her office says the 2nd District has always been her home. FEC by-state totals show about 49 percent of itemized individual contributions from Missouri.
Sources: Ballotpedia, House office biography, FEC contribution totals by state
Fred Wellman. Lives in Wildwood in the 2nd District and grew up in Kirkwood. FEC by-state totals show about 54 percent of itemized individual contributions from Missouri.
Sources: STLPR, Oct. 1, 2025, Ballotpedia, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. The FEC assessed her campaign committee a $3,560 administrative fine in 2023 for 2022 48-hour contribution notices not timely filed; paid in full. Reports are otherwise on file through July 15, 2026.
Fred Wellman. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 15, 2026, with no administrative fine; the campaign raised $1.16 million and reported no debt.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00921528
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. Center for Effective Lawmaking rated her Exceeds Expectations in the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 of 3.02 against a benchmark of 1.48). Sponsor of the Debbie Smith Act of 2023, signed July 30, 2024.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 1105 (118th)
Fred Wellman. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. Missed 255 of 7,608 roll call votes, 3.4 percent, from January 2013 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Fred Wellman. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. Lists district offices in Ballwin and Washington, Mo. No published casework totals found.
Source: House office site
Fred Wellman. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.33618 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 73 of 436, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Fred Wellman. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Brandon Daugherty. No public record found.
Ann Wagner. No public record found.
Fred Wellman. 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 Missouri's 2nd Congressional District?
Ann Wagner has the strongest record in Missouri's 2nd Congressional District. Ann Wagner scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Fred Wellman at 53, as of October 6, 2026. Ann Wagner's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Fred Wellman's highest marks are communication. Brandon Daugherty (4 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 Missouri's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Brandon Daugherty (Libertarian), Ann Wagner (Republican, incumbent), Fred Wellman (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Brandon Daugherty a good candidate for Congress?
Brandon Daugherty 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.
Is Ann Wagner a good candidate for Congress?
Ann Wagner scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Fred Wellman a good candidate for Congress?
Fred Wellman scores 53 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 55 of 100, performance no record. 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 Missouri race scored, and the Missouri 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.