U.S. House, Texas 2nd Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Texas's 2nd Congressional District?
Steve Toth has the strongest record in Texas's 2nd Congressional District. Steve Toth scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Shaun Finnie at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Steve Toth's highest marks are relevant experience and courage. Shaun Finnie's highest marks are communication and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Shaun Finnie
On the ballot as SHAUN FINNIE
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
Republican
Strongest record
Steve Toth
On the ballot as STEVE TOTH
65 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 63
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.
Shaun Finnie
- Credit2025
Received Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management Wade Fetzer Award in 2025, which recognizes dedication and loyalty in support of the Kellogg alumni community.
Source: Kellogg Magazine, Summer 2025
Steve Toth
- On the record2026-02-19
Was invited to but did not attend a Feb. 19, 2026 Republican primary forum in The Woodlands moderated by Community Impact and Woodlands Online.
Source: Community Impact, Feb. 19, 2026
- On the record2026-03-04
The day after the primary he called Rep. Dan Crenshaw a nasty, unhappy person and said Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico has a demonic presence in the world.
Source: Texas Tribune, March 5, 2026
- On the record2023
After he criticized the Texas Senate in 2023 for the timing of a bill, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick publicly called him a fraud; Toth said it was a misunderstanding.
Source: Texas Tribune, March 5, 2026
- On the record2020-05
In May 2020 he got a haircut at a closed salon to protest Gov. Greg Abbott's business closures; hours later Abbott allowed salons and barbershops to reopen earlier than planned.
Source: Texas Tribune, March 5, 2026
- On the record2020-10 to 2020-11
Was a plaintiff, with Steven Hotze and two candidates, in state and federal suits seeking to invalidate about 127,000 Harris County drive-thru votes before the 2020 election; the courts rejected them.
Sources: Texas Tribune, Oct. 31, 2020, CBS News, updated Nov. 3, 2020
- Credit2019 to 2023
Primary author of enacted state laws including HB 1495 on public officials' ethics disclosures (2019), HB 3979 on the social studies curriculum (2021) and HB 3928 on dyslexia evaluations (2023).
Sources: Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 86th Legislature, Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 87th Legislature, Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 88th Legislature
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Shaun Finnie. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and House candidate financial disclosures are on the Clerk's index. No FEC administrative fine and no Texas Ethics Commission order naming him found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, Texas Ethics Commission, sworn complaint orders by date issued
Steve Toth. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no administrative fine. No Texas Ethics Commission sworn complaint order names him and he is not on its delinquent filer list.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, Texas Ethics Commission, sworn complaint orders by date issued, Texas Ethics Commission, delinquent filer list (candidates and officeholders)
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Shaun Finnie. No public record found.
Steve Toth. Publicly defied Gov. Greg Abbott's 2020 business closure order before Abbott moved up reopening, challenged Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady in 2016, and drew Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's public rebuke in 2023 after criticizing the Senate.
Source: Texas Tribune, March 5, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Shaun Finnie. Answered Community Impact's general election candidate Q&A and appeared, as did his opponent, on ABC13's This Week in Texas. No general election debate was found, and none was reported declined.
Sources: Community Impact, Aug. 31, 2026, ABC13, April 4, 2026
Steve Toth. Answered Community Impact's general election Q&A and appeared on ABC13's This Week in Texas with his opponent. Did not attend a Feb. 19, 2026 primary forum to which he was invited. No general election debate found.
Sources: Community Impact, Aug. 31, 2026, ABC13, April 4, 2026, Community Impact, Feb. 19, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Shaun Finnie. Partner at the investment bank Evercore, where he helped build its Houston office from 2011, and a former trustee of The John Cooper School. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Kellogg Magazine, Summer 2025, The John Cooper School, board news
Steve Toth. Has served in the Texas House for District 15 in 2013 to 2015 and since 2019 and runs pool service businesses. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Texas Tribune, March 5, 2026, Ballotpedia, Steve Toth
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Shaun Finnie. No public record found.
Steve Toth. Took the oath of a Texas state representative in 2013 and again from 2019. In 2020 he was a plaintiff in suits seeking to invalidate about 127,000 Harris County drive-thru votes before certification; courts rejected them. No recorded action against certified results found.
Sources: Texas Legislature Online, member information, Texas Tribune, Oct. 31, 2020, CBS News, updated Nov. 3, 2020
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Shaun Finnie. About 30 years in energy investment banking and earlier oil and gas law in Calgary; partner at Evercore. Has not held public office.
Sources: Kellogg Magazine, Summer 2025, Ballotpedia, Shaun Finnie
Steve Toth. Elected to the Texas House in 2012 and again from 2018, serving four terms for District 15 in all. Owner of pool businesses and an ordained minister.
Sources: Texas Tribune, March 5, 2026, Texas Legislature Online, member information
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Shaun Finnie. States priorities on the national debt, taxes, the minimum wage and flood control, including dredging the San Jacinto River and new Lake Houston floodgates, in general terms.
Source: Community Impact, Aug. 31, 2026
Steve Toth. Served on the Texas House Appropriations Committee from 2019 to 2024 and as vice chair of the Resolutions Calendars Committee. Publishes detailed issue positions.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Steve Toth, Campaign site, Issues
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Shaun Finnie. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, answered Community Impact's Q&A, publishes an issues page and gave a televised interview on ABC13.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Shaun Finnie, Community Impact, Aug. 31, 2026, Campaign site, Issues, ABC13, April 4, 2026
Steve Toth. Publishes issue pages, answered Community Impact's Q&A and gave a televised interview on ABC13. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, Issues, Community Impact, Aug. 31, 2026, ABC13, April 4, 2026, Ballotpedia, Steve Toth
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Shaun Finnie. Lives in The Woodlands, which Community Impact places in the district, and has served on the board of The John Cooper School there. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 42 percent of itemized individual contributions from Texas.
Sources: Community Impact, Aug. 31, 2026, The John Cooper School, board news, FEC contribution totals by state
Steve Toth. State representative from The Woodlands, which is in the district, since 2019 and earlier in 2013 to 2015. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 96 percent of itemized individual contributions from Texas.
Sources: Texas Tribune, March 5, 2026, Community Impact, Aug. 31, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Shaun Finnie. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no administrative fine. Helped build Evercore's Houston office from 2011.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, Kellogg Magazine, Summer 2025
Steve Toth. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no administrative fine. Owns and runs the pool businesses Acclaim Pools and My Pool Xpert.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, Ballotpedia, Steve Toth
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Shaun Finnie. No public record found.
Steve Toth. Primary author of several enacted state laws, including HB 1495 on public officials' ethics disclosures (2019), HB 3979 on the social studies curriculum (2021) and HB 3928 on dyslexia evaluations (2023). None of his 2025 bills passed the House.
Sources: Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 86th Legislature, Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 87th Legislature, Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 88th Legislature, Texas Tribune, March 5, 2026
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Shaun Finnie. No public record found.
Steve Toth. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Shaun Finnie. No public record found.
Steve Toth. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Shaun Finnie. No public record found.
Steve Toth. Two enacted bills he authored had Democratic joint authors: the 2019 swimming pool code (Rep. Ramon Romero Jr.) and the 2023 dyslexia law (Rep. Harold Dutton Jr.).
Sources: Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 86th Legislature, Texas Tribune directory, Ramon Romero Jr., Texas Legislature Online, bills authored, 88th Legislature, Texas Tribune directory, Harold V. Dutton Jr.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Shaun Finnie. No public record found.
Steve Toth. 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 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Texas's 2nd Congressional District?
Steve Toth has the strongest record in Texas's 2nd Congressional District. Steve Toth scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Shaun Finnie at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Steve Toth's highest marks are relevant experience and courage. Shaun Finnie's highest marks are communication and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Texas's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
SHAUN FINNIE (Democratic), STEVE TOTH (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Shaun Finnie a good candidate for Congress?
Shaun Finnie scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Steve Toth a good candidate for Congress?
Steve Toth scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 63 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 Texas race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Texas 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.