U.S. House, New York 8th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in New York's 8th Congressional District?
Hakeem Jeffries has the strongest record in New York's 8th Congressional District. Hakeem Jeffries scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Hakeem Jeffries's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Lewis Mizrahi (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.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Hakeem Jeffries
On the ballot as Hakeem S. Jeffries
65 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 58
Republican
Lewis Mizrahi
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 0 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- NR
- 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.
Hakeem Jeffries
- On the record2025-06-29
Declined in June 2025 to say he would endorse Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, while praising his campaign.
Sources: ABC (WABC via ABC30), June 29, 2025, The National News Desk via KMPH, Oct. 24, 2025
- 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
- Credit2022
Sponsored H.R. 7181, the Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022, which GovTrack counts as enacted.
Source: GovTrack, Hakeem Jeffries
- Credit2019-2020
Sponsored H.R. 2426, the CASE Act of 2019, creating a copyright small claims board, which GovTrack counts as enacted.
Source: GovTrack, Hakeem Jeffries
Lewis Mizrahi
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Hakeem Jeffries. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed May 15, 2026; his 2019 to 2021 periodic transaction reports were filed within the 45-day window. No House Ethics Committee matter naming him as a subject and no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076550, House Committee on Ethics site search for Jeffries, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00503052
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Hakeem Jeffries. No public record found.
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Hakeem Jeffries. Holds regular press conferences as House Democratic Leader, including in Brooklyn in October 2026. No open in-person town hall this term or 2026 general election debate record found.
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Hakeem Jeffries. In the State Assembly from 2007 and the U.S. House since 2013, House Democratic Leader since 2023. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Hakeem Jeffries
Lewis Mizrahi. 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.
Hakeem Jeffries. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors and was not among the January 2017 objectors. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Hakeem Jeffries. In the U.S. House since 2013, seeking an eighth term; House Democratic Leader since 2023; State Assembly 2007 to 2012.
Sources: GovTrack, Hakeem Jeffries, Ballotpedia, Hakeem Jeffries
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Hakeem Jeffries. Elected House Democratic Leader in 2023 and re-elected in 2025, an elected chamber leadership post (E5); publishes issue pages.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Hakeem Jeffries, Office site, home page
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Hakeem Jeffries. Offers an e-newsletter and text updates, issue pages, and regular press conferences.
Sources: Office site, home page, House Democratic Leader, press releases
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Hakeem Jeffries. Born in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, represented Brooklyn in the State Assembly from 2007 and lists a Brooklyn address. FEC by-state totals show about 22 percent of itemized individual contributions from New York.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Hakeem Jeffries, FEC contribution totals by state
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Hakeem Jeffries. 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 C00503052
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Hakeem Jeffries. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0 in the 118th Congress, below expectations, as party leader. Raised to 2 under E14: his Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022 (117th Congress) was enacted.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Hakeem Jeffries. Missed 158 of 7,608 roll call votes, 2.1 percent, from January 2013 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Hakeem Jeffries. Runs district offices in Central Brooklyn and South Brooklyn, open weekdays. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, Offices
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Hakeem Jeffries. No public record found.
Lewis Mizrahi. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Hakeem Jeffries. No public record found.
Lewis Mizrahi. 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 8th Congressional District?
Hakeem Jeffries has the strongest record in New York's 8th Congressional District. Hakeem Jeffries scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Hakeem Jeffries's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Lewis Mizrahi (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 8th Congressional District in 2026?
Hakeem Jeffries (Democratic, incumbent), Lewis Mizrahi (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Hakeem Jeffries a good candidate for Congress?
Hakeem Jeffries scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 58 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Lewis Mizrahi a good candidate for Congress?
Lewis Mizrahi 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.
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.