U.S. House, New York 5th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in New York's 5th Congressional District?
Gregory Meeks has the strongest record in New York's 5th Congressional District. Gregory Meeks scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Gregory Meeks's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. George Marsh (0 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.
Republican
George Marsh
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 0 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- NR
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Gregory Meeks
On the ballot as Gregory W. Meeks
68 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 60
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 56
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.
George Marsh
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Gregory Meeks
- Mark against2008-02-05
In February 2008 the FEC announced Meeks and his committee agreed to a $63,000 civil penalty for personal use of campaign funds, misstated activity and excessive and prohibited contributions.
Sources: FEC press release, Feb. 5, 2008, Roll Call, Feb. 5, 2008
- On the record2026
Voted Nay on a FY2026 financial services and State Department appropriations bill in 2026 when Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar voted Yea.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 28, 2026
- On the record2024
Voted Yea on the No U.S. Financing for Iran Act in 2024 when Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar voted Nay.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 123, 2024
- On the record2021-01-06
Voted Nay on both Jan. 6, 2021 objections to the certified electoral votes of Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
- Credit2026-04
Named a 2026 congressional honoree of the Former Members of Congress Statesmanship Awards, alongside Sens. Boozman and Warnock and Rep. Huizenga.
Source: Sen. Boozman release via Capitol Releases, April 2026
- Credit2025-06-18
Honored by the youth education nonprofit Global Kids at its June 18, 2025 gala at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Source: Global Kids, 2025 gala page
- Credit2021
Sponsored H.R. 1157, the Department of State Authorization Act of 2021, which GovTrack counts as enacted.
Source: GovTrack, Gregory Meeks
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed Aug. 13, 2026, within the extension period. No House Ethics Committee finding within the last 10 years and no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077964, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00430991
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Voted against all three House Democratic leaders on the No U.S. Financing for Iran Act (2024), the Affordable HOMES Act (2026) and a FY2026 State and financial services appropriations bill (2026).
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 123, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 12, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 28, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Held an open in-person town hall with live questions at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center on June 16, 2025, and offers telephone town halls. No 2026 general election debate record found.
Sources: QNS, June 20, 2025, Office site, home page
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. In the U.S. House since 1998 after six years in the State Assembly. No censure or reprimand found; the last House Ethics Committee finding (2012, disclosure errors, no action) is over 10 years old.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors; not among the January 2017 objectors; did not vote on the 2005 Ohio objection. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. In the U.S. House since 1998, seeking a 15th full term; State Assembly 1992 to 1998; earlier a Queens County assistant district attorney.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (chair 2021 to 2023) and a member of the Financial Services Committee.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Offers an e-newsletter, telephone town halls and issue pages, and held an in-person town hall in June 2025.
Sources: Office site, home page, QNS, June 20, 2025
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Served Queens as an assistant district attorney from 1978, in the Assembly from 1992 and in Congress since 1998; lists a Jamaica address. FEC by-state totals show about 57 percent of itemized individual contributions from New York.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Gregory Meeks, Office site, Biography, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Campaign reports on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026; no FEC administrative fine found. A 2008 FEC civil penalty is over 10 years old and not scored (E1).
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00430991
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Legislative Effectiveness Score 2.0 of 1.99 against a benchmark of 0.57 in the 118th Congress, exceeds expectations. GovTrack lists seven enacted bills he sponsored, including the Department of State Authorization Act of 2021.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Missed 1,310 of 17,921 roll call votes, 7.3 percent, from February 1998 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Runs district offices in Jamaica and Arverne (Rockaway) and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.73534 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 275 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores 2023
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
George Marsh. No public record found.
Gregory Meeks. 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 5th Congressional District?
Gregory Meeks has the strongest record in New York's 5th Congressional District. Gregory Meeks scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Gregory Meeks's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. George Marsh (0 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 New York's 5th Congressional District in 2026?
George Marsh (Republican), Gregory Meeks (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is George Marsh a good candidate for Congress?
George Marsh has public evidence on 0 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 Gregory Meeks a good candidate for Congress?
Gregory Meeks scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 60 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 56 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.