U.S. House, New York 24th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in New York's 24th Congressional District?
Claudia Tenney has the strongest record in New York's 24th Congressional District. Claudia Tenney scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Alissa Ellman at 53, as of October 9, 2026. Claudia Tenney's highest marks are relevant experience and results. Alissa Ellman's highest marks are communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Alissa Ellman
On the ballot as Alissa J. Ellman
53 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Claudia Tenney
68 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 81
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.
Alissa Ellman
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Claudia Tenney
- Mark against2018-02-21
Said on Feb. 21, 2018 that many people who commit mass murders end up being Democrats; PolitiFact rated it Pants on Fire and the AP reported she offered no evidence.
Sources: PolitiFact, Feb. 23, 2018, Associated Press via KOMO News, Feb. 21, 2018
- Unresolved2026-01-15
Politico reported in January 2026 that her campaign paid for hotel stays matching Novak Djokovic tournament dates and Lacoste apparel; her campaign called the report false; opponents asked the FEC to look into it.
Where it stands: No FEC complaint, finding or House Ethics action found as of 2026-10-09; the campaign denies wrongdoing. Politico's own page returns 403; the report is confirmed by WHEC, CNHI, the Rome Sentinel and The Batavian.
Sources: WHEC News10NBC, CNHI, Jan. 19, 2026, The Batavian, Rome Sentinel, Jan. 2026 (Wayback Machine copy, Mar. 1, 2026)
- On the record2024-07-03
Posted on July 3, 2024 that Executive Order 14019 requires federal agencies to engage in illegal vote harvesting; PolitiFact rated it Pants on Fire.
Source: PolitiFact, Aug. 2, 2024
- On the record2022-10-28
In late October 2022 posted "LOL" with a meme of men holding hammers after the attack on Paul Pelosi, and deleted the post days later.
Sources: Post-Journal, Nov. 3, 2022, The Daily Beast, Nov. 1, 2022
- On the record2021-02-08
Her 2020 race was decided after both campaigns litigated absentee and affidavit ballots in state court; she was certified the winner by 109 votes on Feb. 8, 2021.
Source: Ballotpedia, Claudia Tenney
- On the record2020-12-08
Tweeted on Dec. 8, 2020 that dead people voted in the NY-22 count; PolitiFact rated it Pants on Fire, finding ballots of voters who died before Election Day were removed.
Source: PolitiFact, Dec. 22, 2020
- Credit2024-12
Sponsored the Parity for Child Exploitation Offenders Act (H.R. 7051), whose provisions were enacted through the FY2025 defense authorization.
Sources: GovTrack, H.R. 7051 (118th Congress), GovTrack, enacted legislation
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Alissa Ellman. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Jan. 8, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10072244, FEC administrative fines search
Claudia Tenney. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 is on file, filed Aug. 12, 2026 after an extension. No House Ethics or FEC finding. A 2018 Pants on Fire claim (PolitiFact, AP) is in the Record; 2020 and 2024 rulings are notable.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076400, House Committee on Ethics site search for Tenney, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Alissa Ellman. No public record found.
Claudia Tenney. Voted Nay on the Building Chips in America Act, the NASA Reauthorization Act and a Dayton Peace Agreement sanctions bill in 2024 when Majority Leader Scalise and Whip Emmer voted Yea.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 440, 2024, Building Chips in America Act, House Clerk Roll Call 441, 2024, NASA Reauthorization Act, House Clerk Roll Call 87, 2024, Dayton Peace Agreement sanctions
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Alissa Ellman. Debated her primary opponent at the Smith Opera House in Geneva on June 3, 2026 and took part in a June 4 candidate forum in Albion. In July 2026 she proposed four general election debates.
Sources: Hobart and William Smith Colleges news, May 28, 2026, Orleans Hub, Orleans Hub, July 7, 2026
Claudia Tenney. Publishes explanations of her votes (167 so far in 2026, per her office) and has held telephone town halls. No 2026 general election debate record found; Ellman proposed four debates in July 2026 and the campaign did not respond publicly.
Sources: Office site, press release, Oct. 8, 2026, WRVO Public Media, April 26, 2023, Orleans Hub, July 7, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Alissa Ellman. No public record found.
Claudia Tenney. Has served in the State Assembly (2011 to 2016) and the House (2017 to 2019 and since 2021). No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Claudia Tenney, House Committee on Ethics site search for Tenney
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Alissa Ellman. Served in the Army National Guard from 2001 to 2007, including a 2003 to 2004 deployment to Afghanistan. No official finding of misconduct found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Alissa Ellman, Orleans Hub
Claudia Tenney. Has held sworn state and federal office since 2011. Was not seated in January 2021, so cast no vote on the electoral objections; contested absentee and affidavit ballots in her own 2020 race in state court (E21). No misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Claudia Tenney
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Alissa Ellman. Army National Guard veteran, managed flight line operations in Kandahar for Halliburton, was a special education teacher and worked at the Buffalo VA. Has not held public office.
Sources: Orleans Hub, CNYCentral (WHAM), Aug. 31, 2026
Claudia Tenney. Has served three full House terms and is in a fourth, after six years in the New York State Assembly. An attorney and former co-owner of a printing company.
Sources: GovTrack, missed votes, Ballotpedia, Claudia Tenney
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Alissa Ellman. Publishes priorities on cost of living, child care, housing and infrastructure, with some specific items such as expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
Source: Campaign site, Priorities
Claudia Tenney. Sits on the Ways and Means Committee (Health and Trade subcommittees), the Intelligence Committee and the Science Committee, holds no chair post, and publishes detailed issue plans.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Alissa Ellman. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, publishes a priorities page and took part in a primary debate and a candidate forum.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Alissa Ellman, Campaign site, Priorities, Orleans Hub
Claudia Tenney. Publishes an e-newsletter, issue plans and vote explanations, and has held telephone town halls. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Office site, press release, Oct. 8, 2026, WRVO Public Media, April 26, 2023, Ballotpedia, Claudia Tenney
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Alissa Ellman. Lives in Lockport, where Rep. Tenney keeps a district office, and grew up in rural Allegany County, which is outside the district. FEC by-state totals show about 90 percent of itemized individual contributions from New York.
Sources: Orleans Hub, Tenney office site, Office Locations, FEC contribution totals by state
Claudia Tenney. Described by CNHI as from Oswego County, in the district; she was born in New Hartford, which is outside it. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 38 percent of itemized individual contributions from New York.
Sources: CNHI, Jan. 19, 2026, Ballotpedia, Claudia Tenney, Office site, Office Locations, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Alissa Ellman. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Claudia Tenney. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Alissa Ellman. No public record found.
Claudia Tenney. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 2.219 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.194, exceeds expectations. Her Parity for Child Exploitation Offenders Act was enacted through the FY2025 defense authorization.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 7051 (118th Congress)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Alissa Ellman. No public record found.
Claudia Tenney. Missed 28 of 4,094 roll call votes, 0.7 percent, from January 2017 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Alissa Ellman. No public record found.
Claudia Tenney. Runs district offices in Lockport, Oswego and Canandaigua and a Watertown satellite office. Her office reports resolving more than 1,800 constituent cases in 2026.
Sources: Office site, Office Locations, Office site, press release, Oct. 8, 2026
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Alissa Ellman. No public record found.
Claudia Tenney. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.02015 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 135 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Alissa Ellman. No public record found.
Claudia Tenney. 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 New York's 24th Congressional District?
Claudia Tenney has the strongest record in New York's 24th Congressional District. Claudia Tenney scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Alissa Ellman at 53, as of October 9, 2026. Claudia Tenney's highest marks are relevant experience and results. Alissa Ellman's highest marks are communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in New York's 24th Congressional District in 2026?
Alissa Ellman (Democratic), Claudia Tenney (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Alissa Ellman a good candidate for Congress?
Alissa Ellman 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.
Is Claudia Tenney a good candidate for Congress?
Claudia Tenney scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 81 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 New York race scored, and the New York 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.