U.S. House, Virginia 5th Congressional District · November 3, 2026
Who should I vote for in Virginia's 5th Congressional District?
Tom Perriello has the strongest record in Virginia's 5th Congressional District. Tom Perriello scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of John McGuire at 56, as of October 5, 2026. Tom Perriello's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. John McGuire's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Cooke Harvey (5 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.
Independent
Cooke Harvey
On the ballot as Cooke C. Harvey
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 5 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 44
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
John McGuire
On the ballot as John J. McGuire III
56 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 44
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- 58
Democratic
Strongest record
Tom Perriello
On the ballot as Tom S. P. Perriello
60 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 58
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.
Cooke Harvey
- On the record2026-09-23
Filed a House Clerk campaign notice on Sept. 23, 2026 stating he had not raised or spent more than $5,000, and told VPM News he accepts no monetary donations.
Sources: House Clerk campaign notice, Filing ID 9116345 (scanned image), VPM News 5th District Q&A, Sept. 28, 2026, FEC candidate page
John McGuire
- Mark against2024-10-24
His committee, McGuire for Virginia, paid a $3,584 FEC administrative fine (AF 4774) for a 2024 48-hour notification violation.
Source: FEC administrative fines search, McGuire for Virginia
- On the record2026-08-27
Said on Aug. 27, 2026 that he does not do trades; House Clerk periodic transaction reports he signed in 2025 and 2026 list stock trades by his spouse in a SEP IRA.
Sources: WSET (ABC13), Aug. 27, 2026, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20035180, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20016861
- On the record2026-09
Declined the ABC13 and University of Lynchburg general election debate offered for Oct. 13, 2026, and had declined to commit to any debate as of Sept. 30, 2026.
Sources: WSET (ABC13), Sept. 24, 2026, WSET (ABC13), Sept. 30, 2026
- Credit2024-12
Named to the House Armed Services and House Oversight committees for the 119th Congress.
Sources: Farmville Herald, Dec. 20, 2024, Office site, Committees and Caucuses
- Credit2022 to 2024
As chief patron, saw four bills signed into Virginia law: HB 1128 (2022, military benefits tax subtraction) and SB 630, SB 222 and SB 603 (2024).
Sources: Virginia LIS, HB 1128 (2022 Special Session I), Virginia LIS, SB 630 (2024), Virginia LIS, SB 222 (2024), Virginia LIS, SB 603 (2024)
- Credit1988 to 1998
Served 10 years as a U.S. Navy SEAL before founding the fitness business SEAL Team PT in Henrico County.
Sources: WTVR, Nov. 7, 2017, Ballotpedia, John McGuire
Tom Perriello
- On the record2026-09
Accepted ABC13 and University of Lynchburg debate invitations for October 2026; answered three of the VPM News questionnaire's questions and had not sent the rest as of Oct. 1, 2026.
Sources: WSET (ABC13), Sept. 30, 2026, VPM News 5th District Q&A, Sept. 28, 2026
- On the record2018-11-12
Became executive director of U.S. Programs at the Open Society Foundations, effective Nov. 12, 2018, overseeing its U.S. grant making and advocacy.
- Credit2026-09-28
Endorsed on Sept. 28, 2026 by Denver Riggleman, the former Republican congressman for the 5th District.
Sources: WVTF Radio IQ, Sept. 28, 2026, Augusta Free Press, Sept. 28, 2026
- Credit2024-02-26
Named U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Feb. 26, 2024, and served in the post until 2025.
Sources: The National, Feb. 26, 2024, VPM News 5th District Q&A, Sept. 28, 2026
- Credit2015 to 2016
Appointed U.S. Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa by President Obama in 2015.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Tom Perriello, The National, Feb. 26, 2024
- Credit2010-09-30
His bill H.R. 4667, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2010, became Public Law 111-247 on Sept. 30, 2010.
Sources: GovTrack, enacted legislation, Congress.gov API, sponsored legislation for P000600
- Credit2009 to 2010
Rated as exceeding expectations by the Center for Effective Lawmaking for the 111th Congress, with a Legislative Effectiveness Score of 2.707 against a 0.703 benchmark.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress (row Perriello, Thomas, 111)
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Cooke Harvey. Filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC on Jan. 15, 2026 and a House Clerk campaign notice dated Sept. 23, 2026 stating he had not raised or spent more than $5,000. No FEC reports, fines or ethics records found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk campaign notice, Filing ID 9116345 (scanned image)
John McGuire. His 2025 annual disclosure was filed Aug. 3, 2026 under extension. Nine periodic transaction reports since 2025 were each filed within 45 days; the trades listed are his spouse's. The FEC fine on his committee is scored under Management.
Sources: FEC administrative fines search, McGuire for Virginia, House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075908, House Clerk extension request, Filing ID 30027689, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20035180, House Committee on Ethics site search for McGuire
Tom Perriello. Candidate financial disclosure report is on file with the House Clerk, filed April 8, 2026 under a 90-day extension requested Jan. 7, 2026. FEC reports are on file. No FEC administrative fine or House Ethics record found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10073158, House Clerk extension request, Filing ID 30025626, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, Perriello, House Committee on Ethics site search for Perriello
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. No public record found.
Tom Perriello. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. Declined the ABC13 and University of Lynchburg general election debate offered for Oct. 13, 2026, after repeated invitations, and as of Sept. 30, 2026 had declined to commit to any debate with his opponent, per WSET.
Sources: WSET (ABC13), Sept. 24, 2026, WSET (ABC13), Aug. 27, 2026, WSET (ABC13), Sept. 30, 2026
Tom Perriello. Accepted the ABC13 and University of Lynchburg debate invitations for October 2026, per WSET.
Sources: WSET (ABC13), Aug. 27, 2026, WSET (ABC13), Sept. 30, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. Served in the Virginia House of Delegates (2018 to 2024), the Virginia Senate (2024) and the U.S. House since Jan. 3, 2025. No House Ethics Committee conduct record found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, John McGuire, GovTrack, John J. McGuire, House Committee on Ethics site search for McGuire
Tom Perriello. Served one term in the U.S. House (2009 to 2011), as a State Department special envoy under two administrations and as an executive at the Open Society Foundations. No House Ethics Committee or other formal conduct finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, Thomas Perriello, The National, Feb. 26, 2024, House Committee on Ethics site search for Perriello
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. Served 10 years in the U.S. Navy and has held sworn state and federal legislative office since 2018. No official finding of misuse of office and no recorded vote or legal filing to reject certified election results found.
Sources: WTVR, Nov. 7, 2017, GovTrack, John J. McGuire, House Committee on Ethics site search for McGuire
Tom Perriello. Took the oath as a U.S. representative in 2009 and later served as a State Department special envoy. No official finding of misuse of office and no recorded vote or legal filing to reject certified election results found.
Sources: GovTrack, Thomas Perriello, Ballotpedia, Tom Perriello, House Committee on Ethics site search for Perriello
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Cooke Harvey. Told VPM News he works in construction, holds an associate's degree in civil engineering technology and several emergency certifications, and has not held elected or appointed office.
John McGuire. Three terms in the Virginia House of Delegates (2018 to 2024), one session in the Virginia Senate (2024) and the U.S. House since 2025. Earlier served 10 years as a Navy SEAL and founded a fitness business.
Sources: Ballotpedia, John McGuire, Virginia LIS, 2024 session member page
Tom Perriello. Held this same seat, Virginia's 5th District, from 2009 to 2011. Later U.S. Special Envoy for the African Great Lakes (2015 to 2016) and for Sudan (2024 to 2025), and executive director of Open Society Foundations U.S. Programs from 2018.
Sources: GovTrack, Thomas Perriello, The National, Feb. 26, 2024, Open Society Foundations news release
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Cooke Harvey. Published positions in general terms through the VPM News questionnaire, including on affordability, the deficit, data centers and license plate readers.
John McGuire. Sits on the House Armed Services and Oversight and Government Reform committees and five subcommittees. Sponsored 22 measures in the 119th Congress, including the Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act, which passed the House and was placed on the Senate calendar.
Sources: Office site, Committees and Caucuses, GovTrack, committee membership, FEC contribution totals by state
Tom Perriello. Publishes issue positions on his campaign site across 15 topics and answered three VPM News questionnaire items, including on data centers and license plate readers.
Sources: Campaign site, Issues and Priorities, VPM News 5th District Q&A, Sept. 28, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Cooke Harvey. Answered the full VPM News 5th District questionnaire. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and lists no campaign website on the state candidate list.
Sources: VPM News 5th District Q&A, Sept. 28, 2026, Ballotpedia, Cooke Harvey
John McGuire. Offers an e-newsletter through his office and campaign and publishes issue pages. Did not respond to the VPM News 5th District questionnaire and has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Office site, Issues, VPM News 5th District Q&A, Sept. 28, 2026, Ballotpedia, John McGuire
Tom Perriello. Answered three questions on the VPM News 5th District questionnaire, publishes issue pages, and accepted the ABC13 and University of Lynchburg debate invitations. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: VPM News 5th District Q&A, Sept. 28, 2026, Campaign site, Issues and Priorities, WSET (ABC13), Sept. 30, 2026, Ballotpedia, Tom Perriello
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Cooke Harvey. Lives in Amherst County, inside the district, with an Amherst address on the state candidate list.
Sources: VPM News 5th District Q&A, Sept. 28, 2026, Virginia Department of Elections, Nov. 3, 2026 federal candidate list
John McGuire. Born in Richmond in 1968, graduated from Henrico High School, and lives in Goochland County, inside the district. In-state share of contributions could not be computed because the FEC by-state data was rate limited.
Sources: Ballotpedia, John McGuire, Office site, About, SoVaNow (The News and Record), Aug. 5, 2026
Tom Perriello. Raised in Charlottesville and educated in Albemarle County public schools; lives outside Charlottesville, with a Charlottesville address on the state candidate list. In-state contribution share could not be computed (FEC by-state data rate limited).
Sources: Campaign site, About, SoVaNow (The News and Record), Aug. 5, 2026, Virginia Department of Elections, Nov. 3, 2026 federal candidate list
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. FEC administrative fine AF 4774 against McGuire for Virginia, $3,584, for a 2024 48-hour notification violation, paid in full. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 15, 2026.
Sources: FEC administrative fines search, McGuire for Virginia, FEC candidate page
Tom Perriello. Executive director of Open Society Foundations U.S. Programs from Nov. 12, 2018, overseeing its U.S. grant making and advocacy; organization size not stated. FEC reports on file through July 15, 2026, no administrative fine record.
Sources: Open Society Foundations news release, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, Perriello
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. Four bills he introduced as chief patron became Virginia law: HB 1128 (2022) and SB 630, SB 222 and SB 603 (2024). No Center for Effective Lawmaking score yet for the 119th Congress. No federal bill enacted as sponsor.
Sources: Virginia LIS, HB 1128 (2022 Special Session I), Virginia LIS, SB 630 (2024), Virginia LIS, SB 222 (2024), Virginia LIS, SB 603 (2024), Virginia LIS, 2024 chief patron list
Tom Perriello. Center for Effective Lawmaking Legislative Effectiveness Score of 2.707 in the 111th Congress against a benchmark of 0.703, classed as exceeding expectations. One sponsored bill, H.R. 4667, became Public Law 111-247 on Sept. 30, 2010.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress (row Perriello, Thomas, 111), GovTrack, enacted legislation, FEC contribution totals by state
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. Missed 11 of 676 roll call votes, 1.6 percent, from January 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Tom Perriello. Missed 56 of 1,655 roll call votes, 3.4 percent, from January 2009 to December 2010.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. Lists two district offices, in Manakin-Sabot (by appointment only) and Lynchburg, and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office site, Office Locations, Office site, Help with a Federal Agency
Tom Perriello. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. No public record found.
Tom Perriello. Endorsed on Sept. 28, 2026 by Denver Riggleman, the former Republican congressman for the district.
Sources: WVTF Radio IQ, Sept. 28, 2026, Augusta Free Press, Sept. 28, 2026
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Cooke Harvey. No public record found.
John McGuire. No public record found.
Tom Perriello. 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 5, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Virginia's 5th Congressional District?
Tom Perriello has the strongest record in Virginia's 5th Congressional District. Tom Perriello scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of John McGuire at 56, as of October 5, 2026. Tom Perriello's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. John McGuire's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Cooke Harvey (5 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 Virginia's 5th Congressional District in 2026?
Cooke C. Harvey (Independent), John J. McGuire III (Republican, incumbent), Tom S. P. Perriello (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Cooke Harvey a good candidate for Congress?
Cooke Harvey has public evidence on 5 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 John McGuire a good candidate for Congress?
John McGuire scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 44 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance 58 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Tom Perriello a good candidate for Congress?
Tom Perriello scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 58 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 Virginia race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Virginia 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.