U.S. House, New York 7th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in New York's 7th Congressional District?
Claire Valdez has the strongest record in New York's 7th Congressional District. Claire Valdez scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Claire Valdez's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Priscilla Ghaznavi (6 of 15 criteria) and Melvin Rivera (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.
Independent
Priscilla Ghaznavi
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Republican
Melvin Rivera
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic
Strongest record
Claire Valdez
59 / 100
Public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
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.
Priscilla Ghaznavi
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Melvin Rivera
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Claire Valdez
- Unresolved2025-08-01
Arrested Aug. 1, 2025 with other protesters during a Jewish Voice for Peace sit-in in the lobby serving Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand's Manhattan offices.
Where it stands: The sources found do not report the charge or any court outcome as of 2026-10-09.
Sources: amNY, Aug. 1, 2025, City & State, March 2026
- Unresolved2025-09-18
Arrested by Homeland Security agents at 26 Federal Plaza in September 2025 and issued a federal violation notice under 41 CFR 102-74.390(b), a Class C misdemeanor for obstructing building use.
Where it stands: No court disposition found as of 2026-10-09; City & State reported the officials were told a federal court summons would be mailed.
Sources: City & State, Sept. 2025, PoliticsNY (Brooklyn Paper), Sept. 18, 2025
- On the record2026-05-14
Agreed to a collective bargaining agreement with her own unionized campaign staff in May 2026, which City & State reported as the first such campaign union in New York that year.
Source: City & State, May 15, 2026
- On the record2026-06-03
Took part in the televised Spectrum NY1 Democratic primary debate on June 3, 2026, with Antonio Reynoso and Julie Won.
Source: QNS, June 4, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. Campaign reports on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00946244
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. House candidate financial disclosure filed June 16, 2026; campaign reports on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10081099, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00933515
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. No public record found.
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. Joined an August 2025 sit-in at the offices of Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand protesting their votes on arms to Israel, and was arrested.
Sources: amNY, Aug. 1, 2025, City & State, March 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. No public record found.
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. Took part in the televised NY1 Democratic primary debate on June 3, 2026. No general election debate record found yet.
Source: QNS, June 4, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. No public record found.
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. Assembly member since January 2025; previously a union bargaining committee member and unit chair. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding found; two 2025 protest arrests are unresolved (see Record).
Sources: New York State Assembly, member biography, Ballotpedia, Claire Valdez
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. No public record found.
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. Has held sworn office as an Assembly member since January 2025. No misuse-of-office finding found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. Describes a career as a designer and creative and business leader who has built teams and departments. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Priscilla Ghaznavi
Melvin Rivera. Says he has spent more than 30 years as a community activist and tenant organizer in Brooklyn. Has not held public office.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Claire Valdez. New York State Assembly member for the 37th District since 2025; earlier a union organizer and elected unit chair for UAW Local 2110 at Columbia University.
Sources: New York State Assembly, member biography, Ballotpedia, Claire Valdez
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. States priorities in general terms, including affordable housing and homeownership and health care.
Source: Ballotpedia, Priscilla Ghaznavi
Melvin Rivera. Lists an agenda in general terms: housing reform, community ownership, workforce development, public safety and infrastructure.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Claire Valdez. Publishes issue platforms naming specific federal measures (pass the PRO Act, universal rent control, Medicare for All) and serves on five Assembly committees, including Cities and Transportation.
Sources: Campaign site, Issues, New York State Assembly, committee membership
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and publishes a campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Priscilla Ghaznavi, Campaign site
Melvin Rivera. Publishes a campaign site with issue and biography pages. No Ballotpedia survey found.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Claire Valdez. Debated on NY1 in the primary, publishes detailed issue pages, and offers an Assembly email list.
Sources: QNS, June 4, 2026, Campaign site, Issues, New York State Assembly, member biography
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. Says New York has been home for over three decades, including Greenpoint and Williamsburg in the district. About 12 percent of itemized individual contributions came from New York.
Melvin Rivera. Says he was born and raised in Bushwick, in the district; lists a Brooklyn address with the FEC. No itemized contributions reported.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Claire Valdez. Represents the 37th Assembly District (Long Island City, Sunnyside, Ridgewood), which lies in the 7th District. FEC by-state totals show about 64 percent of itemized individual contributions from New York.
Sources: New York State Assembly, member biography, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. Campaign reports on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00946244
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. Campaign reports on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00933515
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. No public record found.
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. No public record found.
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. No public record found.
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. As an Assembly member, runs a district office in Sunnyside.
Source: New York State Assembly, contact
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. No public record found.
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Priscilla Ghaznavi. No public record found.
Melvin Rivera. No public record found.
Claire Valdez. 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 7th Congressional District?
Claire Valdez has the strongest record in New York's 7th Congressional District. Claire Valdez scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Claire Valdez's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Priscilla Ghaznavi (6 of 15 criteria) and Melvin Rivera (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 New York's 7th Congressional District in 2026?
Priscilla Ghaznavi (Independent), Melvin Rivera (Republican), Claire Valdez (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Priscilla Ghaznavi a good candidate for Congress?
Priscilla Ghaznavi has public evidence on 6 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 Melvin Rivera a good candidate for Congress?
Melvin Rivera 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 Claire Valdez a good candidate for Congress?
Claire Valdez scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 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.