U.S. House, South Carolina 4th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in South Carolina's 4th Congressional District?
William Timmons has the strongest record in South Carolina's 4th Congressional District. William Timmons scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. William Timmons's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jessica Ethridge (6 of 15 criteria) and Courtney McClain (7 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.
Libertarian
Jessica Ethridge
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- NR
Democratic
Courtney McClain
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
William Timmons
61 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- 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.
Jessica Ethridge
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Courtney McClain
- On the record2026-10-08
Debated Rep. William Timmons in a one-hour televised FOX Carolina debate on Oct. 8, 2026.
Source: FOX Carolina, Oct. 8, 2026
William Timmons
- On the record2026
Voted Nay on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 when Speaker Mike Johnson voted Yea, and Yea on the ROTOR Act when the Speaker voted Nay.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 53, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 72, 2026
- On the record2026-01
Said in January 2026 that he intends to serve only one more term if reelected.
- On the record2023-05-31
Voted No on the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the 2023 debt limit deal, which Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House leaders supported; it passed 314 to 117.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023
- On the record2021-01-06
Voted Yea on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021; both failed.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
- On the record2020-12
Signed the amicus brief of 126 House members supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania, a suit seeking to overturn other states' certified 2020 results.
- On the record2020-08-07
Filed a periodic transaction report on Aug. 7, 2020 for spouse IRA stock trades dated May 28, 2020; the STOCK Act sets a 45-day limit.
Source: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20017111
- Credit2025-04-29
Held an hourlong telephone town hall in April 2025 that drew about 9,000 listeners, per the Spartanburg Herald-Journal.
- Credit2024-12-23
Sponsored the Federal Agency Performance Act, on agency performance planning, enacted as S. 709 and signed Dec. 23, 2024.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Jessica Ethridge. A House candidate financial disclosure was filed May 10, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076006, FEC administrative fines search
Courtney McClain. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
William Timmons. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 is on file with the House Clerk, filed Aug. 13, 2026. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076954, House Committee on Ethics site search for Timmons, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Jessica Ethridge. No public record found.
Courtney McClain. No public record found.
William Timmons. Voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act in 2023 and the Ukraine supplemental in 2024, and against final 2026 appropriations, each time when the Speaker voted yes. Voted for the ROTOR Act in 2026 when the Speaker voted no.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 151, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 53, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 72, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Jessica Ethridge. No public record found.
Courtney McClain. Debated Rep. William Timmons on FOX Carolina on Oct. 8, 2026.
Source: FOX Carolina, Oct. 8, 2026
William Timmons. Debated Democratic nominee Courtney McClain on FOX Carolina on Oct. 8, 2026, and held an hourlong telephone town hall in April 2025.
Sources: FOX Carolina, Oct. 8, 2026, Spartanburg Herald-Journal via Yahoo News, April 30, 2025
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Jessica Ethridge. No public record found.
Courtney McClain. No public record found.
William Timmons. Served as a state senator from 2016 and in Congress since 2019, and serves as an Air Force JAG officer. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, William Timmons, Office site, About, House Committee on Ethics site search for Timmons
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Jessica Ethridge. No public record found.
Courtney McClain. No public record found.
William Timmons. Voted Yea on the January 2021 objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes, and signed the House amicus brief in Texas v. Pennsylvania in December 2020.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021 (Arizona objection), House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021 (Pennsylvania objection), Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 House members
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Jessica Ethridge. Has worked nearly 20 years in compliance, real estate, human resources and title insurance operations, and was vice president of the South Carolina Upstate Paralegal Association. Has not held public office.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Courtney McClain. Served as president of the South Carolina NAACP Youth and College Division and as a government relations fellow in Toyota North America's government affairs office. Has not held public office.
Sources: Campaign site, About, Ballotpedia, Courtney McClain
William Timmons. In the U.S. House since January 2019, seeking a fifth term; served in the South Carolina Senate from 2016 to 2019 and as a prosecutor.
Sources: GovTrack, William Timmons, Ballotpedia, William Timmons, Office site, About
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Jessica Ethridge. Publishes positions on cost of living, foreign policy and the national debt in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Courtney McClain. Publishes priorities on affordable housing, health care, cost of living and growth, in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
William Timmons. Chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs and serves on Financial Services. Sponsored the Federal Agency Performance Act, enacted in December 2024.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, About, GovTrack, H.R. 10132 (118th Congress)
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Jessica Ethridge. Publishes plain-language issue positions on her campaign site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, home page, Ballotpedia, Jessica Ethridge
Courtney McClain. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025, publishes issue priorities and debated her opponent on television in 2026.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Courtney McClain, Campaign site, home page, FOX Carolina, Oct. 8, 2026
William Timmons. Offers an e-newsletter and issue pages, held a telephone town hall in 2025 and debated his opponent in 2026. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Spartanburg Herald-Journal via Yahoo News, April 30, 2025, FOX Carolina, Oct. 8, 2026, Ballotpedia, William Timmons
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Jessica Ethridge. Describes herself as a lifelong Upstate resident raised in Greer.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Courtney McClain. Born and raised in Spartanburg, in the district, and graduated from Spartanburg High School.
Sources: Campaign site, About, Ballotpedia, Courtney McClain, FOX Carolina, Oct. 8, 2026
William Timmons. Represented the Upstate in the state Senate before Congress, and his district office is in Greer. FEC by-state totals show about 44 percent of itemized individual contributions from South Carolina.
Sources: Office site, About, Office site, offices, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Jessica Ethridge. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courtney McClain. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
William Timmons. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Jessica Ethridge. No public record found.
Courtney McClain. No public record found.
William Timmons. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.331 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.198, below expectations. Raised to 2 under E14: his Federal Agency Performance Act was enacted as S. 709, signed Dec. 23, 2024.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 10132 (118th Congress), GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Jessica Ethridge. No public record found.
Courtney McClain. No public record found.
William Timmons. Missed 170 of 3,869 roll call votes, 4.4 percent, from January 2019 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Jessica Ethridge. No public record found.
Courtney McClain. No public record found.
William Timmons. Lists one district office, in Greer, and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office site, offices, Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Jessica Ethridge. No public record found.
Courtney McClain. No public record found.
William Timmons. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.80350 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 291 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Jessica Ethridge. No public record found.
Courtney McClain. No public record found.
William Timmons. 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 South Carolina's 4th Congressional District?
William Timmons has the strongest record in South Carolina's 4th Congressional District. William Timmons scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. William Timmons's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jessica Ethridge (6 of 15 criteria) and Courtney McClain (7 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 South Carolina's 4th Congressional District in 2026?
Jessica Ethridge (Libertarian), Courtney McClain (Democratic), William Timmons (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Jessica Ethridge a good candidate for Congress?
Jessica Ethridge 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 Courtney McClain a good candidate for Congress?
Courtney McClain has public evidence on 7 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 William Timmons a good candidate for Congress?
William Timmons scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 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 South Carolina race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the South Carolina 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.