U.S. House, Tennessee 4th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated October 9, 2026

Who should I vote for in Tennessee's 4th Congressional District?

Scott DesJarlais has the strongest record in Tennessee's 4th Congressional District. Scott DesJarlais scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Scott DesJarlais's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jacob Anders (4 of 15 criteria), Victoria Broderick (7 of 15 criteria) and Clay Faircloth (2 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.

Independent

Jacob Anders

On the ballot as Jacob Kristopher Anders

Not enough public record for a score

Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria

Character: NR
Qualifications: 50
Performance: NR

Campaign site FEC filings

Democratic

Victoria Broderick

Not enough public record for a score

Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria

Character: 50
Qualifications: 50
Performance: NR

Campaign site FEC filings

Republican · incumbent

Strongest record

Scott DesJarlais

56 / 100

Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria

Character: 50
Qualifications: 75
Performance: 38

Campaign site Official office FEC filings

Independent

Clay Faircloth

Not enough public record for a score

Public evidence on 2 of 15 criteria

Character: NR
Qualifications: 50
Performance: NR

FEC filings

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.

Jacob Anders

No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.

Victoria Broderick

On the record2026-09
Took part in a candidate forum at Rutherford County Baptist Church in Smyrna; the incumbent did not attend.
Source: Nashville Banner, Sept. 30, 2026
On the record2026-05
Her Lincoln County home was drawn out of the 4th District in the May 2026 redistricting; she remained the Democratic nominee.
Source: Nashville Banner, Sept. 30, 2026

Scott DesJarlais

On the record2026-09
Did not attend a Smyrna candidate forum or answer the Nashville Banner questionnaire.
Source: Nashville Banner, Sept. 30, 2026
On the record2023-05-31
Voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act debt limit deal negotiated by Speaker McCarthy.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023
On the record2020-12
Signed the House amicus brief supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania, and on Jan. 6, 2021 voted Yea on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electors.
Sources: Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 representatives (Dec. 2020), House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021
On the record2013-05-22
The Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners reprimanded him and fined him $500 plus $1,000 in costs for sexual relationships with two patients; he said he takes responsibility.
Source: Roll Call, May 23, 2013

Clay Faircloth

No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.

Who they are

Character

Integrity

Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

2 / 4

Victoria Broderick. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Sept. 14, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.

Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk financial disclosure index, 2026, FEC administrative fines search

2 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed Aug. 12, 2026; campaign reports on file. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.

Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077566, House Committee on Ethics site search, FEC administrative fines search

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

Courage

Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

Victoria Broderick. No public record found.

3 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Voted No on the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act and Nay on the 2024 Ukraine supplemental while the Speaker and Majority Leader voted yes.

Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023 (Fiscal Responsibility Act), House Clerk Roll Call 151, 2024 (Ukraine supplemental)

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

Accountability

Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

2 / 4

Victoria Broderick. Took part in a September 2026 candidate forum at a Smyrna church that her opponent did not attend.

Source: Nashville Banner, Sept. 30, 2026

Scott DesJarlais. No public record found.

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

Temperament and judgment

Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

Victoria Broderick. No public record found.

2 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Physician, in Congress since 2011. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found. A 2013 state medical board reprimand for conduct in about 2000 is in the Record and is older than 10 years (E1).

Sources: Ballotpedia, Scott DesJarlais, House Committee on Ethics site search

Clay Faircloth. 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.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

Victoria Broderick. No public record found.

1 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Voted Yea on the Jan. 6, 2021 objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electors (E2). Also signed the December 2020 House amicus brief in Texas v. Pennsylvania.

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 representatives (Dec. 2020)

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

What they bring

Qualifications

Relevant experience

Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.

2 / 4

Jacob Anders. Author, historian, voice actor and political activist with a psychology degree from Hiwassee College. Has not held public office.

Source: Ballotpedia, Jacob Anders

2 / 4

Victoria Broderick. Technology support worker who chaired the Lincoln County Democratic Party and sits on the state Democratic executive committee. Has not held public office.

Sources: Nashville Banner, Sept. 30, 2026, Ballotpedia, Victoria Broderick

4 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. In the U.S. House since January 2011, seeking a ninth term.

Source: Ballotpedia, Scott DesJarlais

2 / 4

Clay Faircloth. Pastor and counselor with a Trevecca Nazarene graduate degree who has worked in career coaching with Metro Nashville and at a Nissan plant. Has not held public office.

Source: Ballotpedia, Clay Faircloth

Command of the job

Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.

2 / 4

Jacob Anders. Publishes a platform with policy goals, including universal health care, and a section on how to pay for them.

Source: Campaign site

2 / 4

Victoria Broderick. Publishes issue positions on affordability, health care, wages and child care in general terms.

Source: Nashville Banner, Sept. 30, 2026

4 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Chairs the Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces; publishes issue pages on his House site.

Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Nashville Banner, Sept. 30, 2026

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

Communication

Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.

2 / 4

Jacob Anders. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and publishes a platform.

Source: Ballotpedia, Jacob Anders

3 / 4

Victoria Broderick. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey (2025), takes part in forums and publishes issue pages.

Sources: Ballotpedia, Victoria Broderick, Campaign site

2 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Offers an e-newsletter and publishes issue pages on his House site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey or the Nashville Banner questionnaire.

Sources: House office site, Ballotpedia, Scott DesJarlais

2 / 4

Clay Faircloth. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024; has not completed the 2026 survey.

Source: Ballotpedia, Clay Faircloth

Roots in the constituency

Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

1 / 4

Victoria Broderick. Her Lincoln County home was drawn out of the 4th District in the 2026 redistricting, per the Nashville Banner. About 66 percent of itemized individual contributions came from Tennessee (FEC).

Sources: Nashville Banner, Sept. 30, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state

3 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Lives in Sherwood and has practiced medicine in the region since the 1990s, including at Grandview Medical Center in Jasper. About 30 percent of itemized individual contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Tennessee (FEC).

Sources: Nashville Banner, Sept. 30, 2026, Roll Call, May 23, 2013, FEC contribution totals by state

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

Management

Can build and run an organization.

2 / 4

Jacob Anders. Campaign committee report on file with the FEC for January to June 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.

Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search

2 / 4

Victoria Broderick. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026, with no debts reported.

Source: FEC candidate page

2 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 17, 2026, with no debts reported. No FEC administrative fine found.

Source: FEC candidate page

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

What they deliver

Performance

Results

Turns ideas into outcomes.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

Victoria Broderick. No public record found.

1 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Center for Effective Lawmaking: LES 2.0 of 0.035 against a benchmark of 1.215 in the 118th Congress, below expectations. GovTrack lists no enacted bill he sponsored.

Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress (DesJarlais TN04 row, 118th)

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

Showing up

Does the basic work of the job.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

Victoria Broderick. No public record found.

2 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Missed 444 of 9,214 roll call votes, 4.8 percent, from January 2011 to September 2026.

Source: GovTrack, missed votes

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

Constituent service

Solves problems for the people they represent.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

Victoria Broderick. No public record found.

2 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Lists district offices in Murfreesboro and Winchester, open by appointment, and offers help with federal agencies.

Source: House office site

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

Coalition building

Wins support beyond their own faction.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

Victoria Broderick. No public record found.

1 / 4

Scott DesJarlais. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.22748 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 378 of 436, in the bottom quarter.

Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores

Clay Faircloth. No public record found.

Stewardship of public money

Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.

Jacob Anders. No public record found.

Victoria Broderick. No public record found.

Scott DesJarlais. No public record found.

Clay Faircloth. 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 Tennessee's 4th Congressional District?

Who is running in Tennessee's 4th Congressional District in 2026?

Jacob Anders (Independent), Victoria Broderick (Democratic), Scott DesJarlais (Republican, incumbent), Clay Faircloth (Independent). The general election is November 3, 2026.

Is Jacob Anders a good candidate for Congress?

Jacob Anders 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 Victoria Broderick a good candidate for Congress?

Victoria Broderick 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 Scott DesJarlais a good candidate for Congress?

Scott DesJarlais scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 38 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.

Is Clay Faircloth a good candidate for Congress?

Clay Faircloth has public evidence on 2 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 Tennessee race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Tennessee 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.