U.S. House, New York 9th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in New York's 9th Congressional District?
Yvette Clarke has the strongest record in New York's 9th Congressional District. Yvette Clarke scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Yvette Clarke's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Joel Azumah (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.
Republican
Joel Azumah
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Yvette Clarke
On the ballot as Yvette D. Clarke
64 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 80
- 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.
Joel Azumah
- Mark against2024
Wrote on X in 2024 that "9/11 was an inside job"; FBI and SEC investigators concluded in 2004 that pre-attack stock trades he cited were not made with insider knowledge.
Sources: The New Republic, September 2026, PoliticsNY, Sept. 9, 2026
Yvette Clarke
- On the record2025-06
Voted Nay in June 2025 on tabling a resolution to impeach President Trump, when Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar voted to table it.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 175, 2025
- On the record2025
Voted Nay on the GENIUS Act stablecoin bill in 2025, when Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar voted Yea; it passed 308 to 122.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 200, 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
- Credit2025-11-14
Received Brooklyn College's Presidential Medal of Honor on Nov. 14, 2025, per BK Reader.
Source: BK Reader, Nov. 15, 2025
- Credit2019-2020
Sponsored H.R. 4739, the Synthetic Opioid Exposure Prevention and Training Act, which GovTrack counts as enacted.
Source: GovTrack, Yvette Clarke
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. 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 10078658, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00415331
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. Voted against all three House Democratic leaders on the Fiscal Responsibility Act (2023), the GENIUS Act (2025), the June 2025 motion to table an impeachment resolution, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 200, 2025, GENIUS Act, House Clerk Roll Call 175, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 45, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. Her office listed an in-person town hall for 9th District residents on June 16, 2025. No independent report of it, and no 2026 general election debate record, found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. A New York City Council member before 2007 and in the U.S. House since 2007. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding within the last 10 years found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Yvette Clarke, GovTrack, Yvette Clarke
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. 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
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Joel Azumah. Founded and runs a private bus company in New York City. Has not held public office.
Sources: The New Republic, September 2026, Ballotpedia, Joel Anabilah-Azumah
Yvette Clarke. In the U.S. House since 2007, seeking an 11th term; New York City Council member before that.
Sources: GovTrack, Yvette Clarke, Ballotpedia, Yvette Clarke
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Joel Azumah. States positions in general terms on his campaign site and in his Ballotpedia survey, including lower taxes and a Utica Avenue subway extension.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Yvette Clarke. Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, and a member of two other Energy and Commerce subcommittees.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Joel Azumah. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and publishes a campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Joel Anabilah-Azumah, Campaign site, home page
Yvette Clarke. Offers an e-newsletter and issue pages and held an in-person town hall in June 2025.
Sources: Office site, home page, Office site, events, June 16, 2025
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Joel Azumah. Born in New York City; lists a Brooklyn address with the FEC. No itemized contributions reported.
Yvette Clarke. Born in Brooklyn, served Brooklyn on the City Council, and keeps her district office in Brooklyn. FEC by-state totals show about 33 percent of itemized individual contributions from New York.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Yvette Clarke, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. 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 C00415331
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. Legislative Effectiveness Score 2.0 of 0.40 against a benchmark of 0.56 in the 118th Congress, meets expectations. GovTrack lists five enacted bills she sponsored, including the Synthetic Opioid Exposure Prevention and Training Act.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. Missed 467 of 12,745 roll call votes, 3.7 percent, from January 2007 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. Runs a Brooklyn district office and offers casework and federal agency support. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.69486 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 266 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.
Joel Azumah. No public record found.
Yvette Clarke. 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 9th Congressional District?
Yvette Clarke has the strongest record in New York's 9th Congressional District. Yvette Clarke scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Yvette Clarke's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Joel Azumah (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 New York's 9th Congressional District in 2026?
Joel Azumah (Republican), Yvette Clarke (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Joel Azumah a good candidate for Congress?
Joel Azumah 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 Yvette Clarke a good candidate for Congress?
Yvette Clarke scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 80 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.