U.S. House, South Carolina 6th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in South Carolina's 6th Congressional District?
Jim Clyburn has the strongest record in South Carolina's 6th Congressional District. Jim Clyburn scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jim Clyburn's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. John Peterson (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.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Jim Clyburn
On the ballot as James E Jim Clyburn
61 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 50
Republican
John Peterson
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 42
- 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.
Jim Clyburn
- Mark against2023-08-29
The FEC fined his committee, Friends of Jim Clyburn, $5,072 for 48-hour contribution notices not filed in 2022; the fine was paid Oct. 5, 2023.
Source: FEC administrative fines search
- On the record2026
Voted for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 when Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and most House Democrats voted no.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 53, 2026
- On the record2021-05-20
Was fined under the 2021 House security-screening rule in April 2021; the Ethics Committee granted his appeal on May 20, 2021.
- On the record2005-01-06
Voted Yea on the objection to Ohio's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2005; it failed 31 to 267.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 7, 2005
- Credit2025-07-27
Held in-person town halls in the district, including Columbia in July 2025 and Orangeburg in July 2026, per WIS and WACH.
Sources: WIS News 10, July 27, 2025, WACH Fox 57
- Credit2024-05-03
Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Biden on May 3, 2024.
Source: WPTV (Scripps), May 3, 2024
- Credit2021-12-27
Sponsored the Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act on the tribe's gaming status, enacted in the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act.
John Peterson
- On the record2026-09-11
Said in a Live 5 News interview that he could not support the president's proposed $5,000 checks if Republicans win Congress.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Jim Clyburn. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 is on file with the House Clerk, filed May 15, 2026. A 2021 House security-screening fine was overturned on appeal by the Ethics Committee. No ethics finding found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076090, House Committee on Ethics statement, May 20, 2021
John Peterson. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Jim Clyburn. Voted for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 and the 2025 Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted no, and against the 2025 GENIUS Act when Jeffries voted yes.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 53, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 17, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 200, 2025
John Peterson. Said in a September 2026 interview that he could not support the president's proposed $5,000 checks, a stand against his party's leader.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Jim Clyburn. Held open in-person town halls in his district in 2025 and 2026, including Columbia in July 2025 and Orangeburg in July 2026.
Sources: WIS News 10, July 27, 2025, WACH Fox 57
John Peterson. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Jim Clyburn. Has served in Congress since 1993, including as majority whip. No censure, reprimand or Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, James Clyburn, House Committee on Ethics statement, May 20, 2021
John Peterson. 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.
Jim Clyburn. Voted Yea on the January 2005 objection to Ohio's certified electoral votes. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 7, Jan. 6, 2005, House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021
John Peterson. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Jim Clyburn. In the U.S. House since January 1993, seeking an 18th term; served as majority whip and assistant Democratic leader.
Sources: GovTrack, James Clyburn, Ballotpedia, James E. Clyburn
John Peterson. Describes himself as a former mathematician who works in customer service at the North Charleston Convention Center. No leadership role or public office documented.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Jim Clyburn. Ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; former House majority whip.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
John Peterson. States general positions on the national debt, spending and affordability in his Ballotpedia survey and interviews.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Jim Clyburn. Publishes newsletters and issue pages and holds town halls in the district. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, WIS News 10, July 27, 2025, Ballotpedia, James E. Clyburn
John Peterson. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025 and explained his positions in a televised interview.
Sources: Ballotpedia, John Peterson, Live 5 News (WCSC), Sept. 11, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Jim Clyburn. Born in Sumter and has represented the 6th District since 1993. FEC by-state totals show about 33 percent of itemized individual contributions from South Carolina.
Sources: Ballotpedia, James E. Clyburn, FEC contribution totals by state
John Peterson. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Jim Clyburn. His committee, Friends of Jim Clyburn, paid a $5,072 FEC administrative fine in 2023 for 48-hour contribution notices not filed in 2022.
Source: FEC administrative fines search
John Peterson. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Jim Clyburn. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.170 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.585, below expectations. Raised to 2 under E14: his Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act was enacted in the FY2022 defense bill.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 1619 (117th Congress)
John Peterson. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Jim Clyburn. Missed 741 of 21,039 roll call votes, 3.5 percent, from January 1993 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
John Peterson. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Jim Clyburn. Lists four district offices (Columbia, Kingstree, Santee, Sumter) with weekday hours and holds district town halls.
Sources: Office site, home page, WACH Fox 57
John Peterson. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Jim Clyburn. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.87676 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 419 of 436, in the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
John Peterson. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Jim Clyburn. No public record found.
John Peterson. 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 6th Congressional District?
Jim Clyburn has the strongest record in South Carolina's 6th Congressional District. Jim Clyburn scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jim Clyburn's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. John Peterson (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 South Carolina's 6th Congressional District in 2026?
Jim Clyburn (Democratic, incumbent), John Peterson (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Jim Clyburn a good candidate for Congress?
Jim Clyburn scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is John Peterson a good candidate for Congress?
John Peterson 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.
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.