U.S. House, Ohio 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District?
David Taylor has the strongest record in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. David Taylor scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. David Taylor's highest marks are roots in the constituency and showing up. Jen Mazzuckelli (3 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
Jen Mazzuckelli
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 3 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
David Taylor
68 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 88
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.
Jen Mazzuckelli
- On the record2026-10
Answered WVXU's 2026 candidate survey and Ballotpedia's survey.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jen Mazzuckelli
- On the record1992 to 1993
Held a Pentagon internship during the presidential transition before careers in human resources and teaching.
Source: Portsmouth Daily Times via Yahoo News, June 13, 2026
David Taylor
- Mark against2025-04-03
Filed a periodic transaction report on April 3, 2025 disclosing stock trades from Jan. 30 and Feb. 5, 2025, past the STOCK Act's 45-day deadline.
Source: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20029069
- On the record2026-09
His office reported passing 100,000 responses to constituent emails, letters and calls.
- On the record1996 to 2024
Worked as an assistant prosecutor in Clermont County and later ran his family's business, Sardinia Ready Mix.
Sources: Ballotpedia, David Taylor, WVXU, Oct. 7, 2026, candidate-provided biography
- Credit2025-01 to 2026-09
Missed none of 676 House roll call votes from January 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. His 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed May 15, 2026. A periodic transaction report filed April 3, 2025 disclosed trades from Jan. 30 and Feb. 5, 2025, past the 45-day deadline (see Record). No ethics or FEC finding found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075596, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20029069, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. Former part-time assistant prosecutor in Clermont County and president of his family's business; in Congress since January 2025. No censure, reprimand or formal conduct finding found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. Sworn in to the 119th Congress on Jan. 3, 2025, after the 2021 electoral count. No misuse-of-office finding and no action to reject certified results found.
Source: Office site
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Jen Mazzuckelli. Worked in human resources and as a high school English teacher; held a Pentagon internship in 1992 to 1993. No elected office.
Sources: WVXU, Oct. 7, 2026, candidate-provided biography, Portsmouth Daily Times via Yahoo News, June 13, 2026
David Taylor. In the U.S. House since January 2025 (first term, not yet complete); previously assistant prosecutor in Clermont County and president of Sardinia Ready Mix.
Source: Ballotpedia, David Taylor
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Jen Mazzuckelli. Published positions in general terms on housing, data centers and costs in WVXU's and Ballotpedia's surveys.
Source: WVXU, Oct. 7, 2026
David Taylor. Serves on the Agriculture and Transportation and Infrastructure committees and co-chairs the Rural Broadband Caucus; no chair or ranking post. Answered WVXU's issue survey.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Jen Mazzuckelli. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and answered WVXU's 2026 survey.
David Taylor. Answered WVXU's 2026 candidate survey and publishes issue pages on his House site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: WVXU, Oct. 7, 2026, Office site
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. Born and raised in Ohio, an Amelia High School graduate who lives in Amelia. About 80 percent of itemized individual contributions by state came from Ohio through June 30, 2026 (FEC by-state totals).
Sources: WVXU, Oct. 7, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. Ran his family's concrete business, managing about two dozen employees. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no administrative fine found.
Sources: WVXU, Oct. 7, 2026, candidate-provided biography, FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. Missed 0 of 676 roll call votes, 0.0 percent, from January 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. His House site reports 574 constituent cases resolved and $3.6 million recovered from federal agencies; the Highland County Press reported his office passed 100,000 constituent responses.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Jen Mazzuckelli. No public record found.
David Taylor. 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 Ohio's 2nd Congressional District?
David Taylor has the strongest record in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. David Taylor scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. David Taylor's highest marks are roots in the constituency and showing up. Jen Mazzuckelli (3 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 Ohio's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Jen Mazzuckelli (Democratic), David Taylor (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Jen Mazzuckelli a good candidate for Congress?
Jen Mazzuckelli has public evidence on 3 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 David Taylor a good candidate for Congress?
David Taylor scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 88 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 Ohio race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Ohio 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.