U.S. House, North Carolina 6th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District?
Addison McDowell has the strongest record in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District. Addison McDowell scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Cyril Jefferson at 59, as of October 9, 2026. Addison McDowell's highest marks are roots in the constituency and relevant experience. Cyril Jefferson's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Cyril Jefferson
59 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Addison McDowell
65 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 75
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.
Cyril Jefferson
- On the record2023
Became the youngest person elected mayor of High Point in 2023, after winning a High Point City Council seat in 2019.
Source: North Carolina A&T State University news, July 17, 2025
- Credit2025-07-19
Received the International Civil Rights Center and Museum 2025 Keeper of the Flame Award at its July 2025 Civil Rights Gala.
Source: North Carolina A&T State University news, July 17, 2025
Addison McDowell
- On the record2026-03-04
Voted Nay on the Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act while Speaker Johnson, Leader Scalise and Whip Emmer voted Yea; it passed 351 to 72.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 82, 2026
- On the record2025-11-19
Voted Nay on H.R. 4058, a preparedness grants outreach bill, while Speaker Johnson, Leader Scalise and Whip Emmer voted Yea; it passed 380 to 45.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 300, 2025
- Credit2025
Held telephone town halls in March and August 2025 and was the only North Carolina Republican member to answer NC Newsline's October 2025 request for comment on town halls.
Source: NC Newsline, Oct. 20, 2025 (reprinted on ross.house.gov)
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Cyril Jefferson. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Addison McDowell. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed Aug. 13, 2026, after an extension; the Clerk lists no periodic transaction reports for him. No House Ethics matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10074936, House Committee on Ethics site search for McDowell, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Cyril Jefferson. No public record found.
Addison McDowell. Voted Nay on two bills that the Speaker, Majority Leader and Whip all supported: a preparedness grants outreach bill in November 2025 and the Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act in March 2026.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 300, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 82, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Cyril Jefferson. No public record found.
Addison McDowell. Held telephone town halls in March and August 2025 and answered NC Newsline's request for comment on town halls. No 2026 debate record found.
Source: NC Newsline, Oct. 20, 2025 (reprinted on ross.house.gov)
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Cyril Jefferson. Elected to the High Point City Council in 2019 and mayor of High Point in 2023, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Sources: North Carolina A&T State University news, July 17, 2025, City of High Point, City Council
Addison McDowell. Congressional staff for Reps. Ted Budd and Richard Hudson, then in Congress since January 2025, with no censure, reprimand or House Ethics matter found.
Sources: McDowell office site, About, House Committee on Ethics site search for McDowell
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Cyril Jefferson. Has held sworn municipal office as a High Point council member and mayor since 2019, with no official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: City of High Point, City Council, Ballotpedia, Cyril Jefferson
Addison McDowell. Has held sworn federal office since January 2025, after the January 2021 electoral count, with no misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: GovTrack, Addison McDowell
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Cyril Jefferson. Mayor of High Point since 2023 after a term on the city council from 2019; previously a teacher and founder of a social innovation consulting firm.
Sources: North Carolina A&T State University news, July 17, 2025, Ballotpedia, Cyril Jefferson
Addison McDowell. In his first term in the U.S. House; previously a congressional constituent liaison and a government affairs lobbyist for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Addison McDowell, GovTrack, Addison McDowell
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Cyril Jefferson. Publishes issue positions on cost of living, health care, education, infrastructure and immigration, mostly in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, Issues
Addison McDowell. Serves on the Budget, Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees; holds no chair or ranking post.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, McDowell office site, About
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Cyril Jefferson. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025, publishes issue pages and press statements on campaign issues.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Cyril Jefferson, Campaign site, Issues, Campaign site, News
Addison McDowell. Offers an e-newsletter, held two telephone town halls in 2025 and publishes campaign issue statements. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: McDowell office site, home page, NC Newsline, Oct. 20, 2025 (reprinted on ross.house.gov), Campaign site, home page, Ballotpedia, Addison McDowell
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Cyril Jefferson. Mayor of High Point, most of which lies in the 6th District, and a council member since 2019. FEC by-state totals show about 91 percent of itemized individual contributions from North Carolina.
Sources: City of High Point, City Council, U.S. Census Bureau, 119th Congress district relationship file (place), FEC contribution totals by state
Addison McDowell. Raised in Davidson County and lives in Davie County, both in the district. FEC by-state totals show about 79 percent of itemized individual contributions from North Carolina.
Sources: McDowell office site, About, Campaign site, home page, U.S. Census Bureau, 119th Congress district relationship file (county), FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Cyril Jefferson. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Addison McDowell. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Cyril Jefferson. No public record found.
Addison McDowell. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Cyril Jefferson. No public record found.
Addison McDowell. Missed 8 of 676 roll call votes, 1.2 percent, from January 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Cyril Jefferson. No public record found.
Addison McDowell. Runs a High Point district office by appointment, offers casework help and held two telephone town halls in 2025 that he said reached more than 100,000 constituents.
Sources: McDowell office site, home page, NC Newsline, Oct. 20, 2025 (reprinted on ross.house.gov)
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Cyril Jefferson. No public record found.
Addison McDowell. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Cyril Jefferson. No public record found.
Addison McDowell. 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 North Carolina's 6th Congressional District?
Addison McDowell has the strongest record in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District. Addison McDowell scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Cyril Jefferson at 59, as of October 9, 2026. Addison McDowell's highest marks are roots in the constituency and relevant experience. Cyril Jefferson's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District in 2026?
Cyril Jefferson (Democratic), Addison McDowell (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Cyril Jefferson a good candidate for Congress?
Cyril Jefferson scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Addison McDowell a good candidate for Congress?
Addison McDowell scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 75 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 North Carolina race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the North Carolina 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.