U.S. House, Washington 9th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated October 6, 2026

Who should I vote for in Washington's 9th Congressional District?

Adam Smith has the strongest record in Washington's 9th Congressional District. Adam Smith scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Adam Smith's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Doug Basler (7 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.

Republican

Doug Basler

Not enough public record for a score

Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria

Character: 50
Qualifications: 50
Performance: NR

Campaign site FEC filings

Democratic · incumbent

Strongest record

Adam Smith

61 / 100

Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria

Character: 60
Qualifications: 80
Performance: 38

Campaign site Official office 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.

Doug Basler

On the record2026-08-05
Told JNS after the August 2026 primary that he would like to debate Rep. Smith.
Source: JNS, Aug. 5, 2026
On the record2022-10-25
Debated Rep. Adam Smith in the 2022 general election campaign.
Source: KIRO 7 via MyNorthwest, Oct. 27, 2022
On the record2021-09
Joined a 2021 lawsuit with Washington Election Integrity Coalition United alleging vote flipping in the 2020 election; a King County judge dismissed it, writing that no evidence was presented.
Sources: Seattle Times, Oct. 2023, Cascade PBS, Oct. 2023

Adam Smith

On the record2025
Voted Nay on the GENIUS Act stablecoin bill in 2025 when Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted Yea.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 200, 2025
Credit2025-12-18
Sponsored H.R. 4383 on sound insulation repair pilot programs; its provisions were enacted in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, signed Dec. 18, 2025.
Source: GovTrack, H.R. 4383 (119th Congress)
Credit2025-08-04
Held an in-person town hall at Renton Technical College on Aug. 4, 2025, where police arrested three protesters who refused to leave the stage.
Source: FOX 13 Seattle, Aug. 4, 2025
Credit2021-12-27
Sponsored H.R. 3680, the Promoting Affordable Housing Near Transit Act; its provisions were enacted through S. 1605, signed Dec. 27, 2021.
Source: GovTrack, H.R. 3680 (117th Congress)
Credit2019
Chaired the House Armed Services Committee in the 116th and 117th Congresses and is now its ranking member.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Adam Smith, GovTrack, committee membership

Who they are

Character

Integrity

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

2 / 4

Doug Basler. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 15, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed June 7, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.

Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10079974, FEC administrative fines search

2 / 4

Adam Smith. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 is on file with the House Clerk, filed April 14, 2026; his 2025 periodic transaction report was timely. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.

Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075631, House Committee on Ethics site search for Adam Smith, FEC administrative fines search

Courage

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

Doug Basler. No public record found.

3 / 4

Adam Smith. Voted against his party's leaders on several significant measures: Nay on the GENIUS Act and the 2026 fuel retailer choice bill when Leader Jeffries voted Yea, and Yea on the 2025 D.C. policing bill when Jeffries voted Nay.

Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 200, 2025, GENIUS Act, House Clerk Roll Call 164, 2026, Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, House Clerk Roll Call 275, 2025, District of Columbia Policing Protection Act

Accountability

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

2 / 4

Doug Basler. Debated Rep. Smith in the 2022 general election and told JNS in August 2026 that he wants to debate him again. No 2026 debate record found.

Sources: KIRO 7 via MyNorthwest, Oct. 27, 2022, JNS, Aug. 5, 2026

3 / 4

Adam Smith. Held an open in-person town hall at Renton Technical College on Aug. 4, 2025, and debated Doug Basler in 2022. No 2026 general election debate record found.

Sources: FOX 13 Seattle, Aug. 4, 2025, KIRO 7 via MyNorthwest, Oct. 27, 2022

Temperament and judgment

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

Doug Basler. No public record found.

2 / 4

Adam Smith. Has held state and federal office since 1991, including chairing the House Armed Services Committee from 2019 to 2022. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.

Sources: Ballotpedia, Adam Smith, House Committee on Ethics site search for Adam Smith

Fidelity to the oath

Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.

Doug Basler. No public record found.

2 / 4

Adam Smith. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors and did not vote on the January 2005 Ohio objection. No misuse-of-office finding found.

Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 7, Jan. 6, 2005

What they bring

Qualifications

Relevant experience

Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.

2 / 4

Doug Basler. Founder and president of Prologue Digital, an advertising and video production firm; former King County Republican Party vice chairman. Has not held public office.

Sources: Campaign site, About, Kent Reporter

4 / 4

Adam Smith. In the U.S. House since 1997 after serving in the Washington State Senate from 1991 to 1996 and as a Seattle city prosecutor.

Sources: KIRO 7 via MyNorthwest, Oct. 27, 2022, GovTrack, missed votes

Command of the job

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

2 / 4

Doug Basler. Publishes positions on affordability, public safety, family and energy costs in general terms.

Sources: Campaign site, About, Campaign site, home page

4 / 4

Adam Smith. Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, which he chaired from 2019 to 2022; his sponsored FY2021 defense authorization became law.

Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Ballotpedia, Adam Smith

Communication

Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.

2 / 4

Doug Basler. Publishes a candidate statement and positions on his campaign site and completed Ballotpedia's survey in 2022, but not in 2026.

Sources: Campaign site, About, Ballotpedia, Doug Basler

3 / 4

Adam Smith. Offers an email newsletter, holds town halls and publishes issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.

Sources: Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Adam Smith

Roots in the constituency

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

2 / 4

Doug Basler. Lives in Kent, in the district; born in Spokane. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show all itemized individual contributions, $8,165, from Washington.

Sources: Kent Reporter, Ballotpedia, Doug Basler, FEC contribution totals by state

3 / 4

Adam Smith. Raised in SeaTac and first elected to the state Senate from the district where he grew up. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 42 percent of itemized individual contributions from Washington.

Sources: Office site, About, FEC contribution totals by state

Management

Can build and run an organization.

2 / 4

Doug Basler. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 15, 2026; the committee owes $760 to the candidate. No FEC administrative fine found.

Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search

2 / 4

Adam Smith. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 15, 2026, with no debts owed. No FEC administrative fine record found.

Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search

What they deliver

Performance

Results

Turns ideas into outcomes.

Doug Basler. No public record found.

2 / 4

Adam Smith. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.156 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.577, below expectations. Raised to 2 under E14: provisions of his sound insulation bill, H.R. 4383, were enacted in the FY2026 defense authorization.

Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 4383 (119th Congress)

Showing up

Does the basic work of the job.

Doug Basler. No public record found.

1 / 4

Adam Smith. Missed 1,202 of 18,577 roll call votes, 6.5 percent, from January 1997 to September 2026.

Source: GovTrack, missed votes

Constituent service

Solves problems for the people they represent.

Doug Basler. No public record found.

2 / 4

Adam Smith. Runs a district office in Kent with constituent services staff and a toll-free line. No published casework totals found.

Source: Office site, Office Locations

Coalition building

Wins support beyond their own faction.

Doug Basler. No public record found.

1 / 4

Adam Smith. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.68758 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 414 of 436, in the bottom quarter.

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

Stewardship of public money

Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.

Doug Basler. No public record found.

Adam Smith. 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 Washington's 9th Congressional District?

Who is running in Washington's 9th Congressional District in 2026?

Doug Basler (Republican), Adam Smith (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.

Is Doug Basler a good candidate for Congress?

Doug Basler 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 Adam Smith a good candidate for Congress?

Adam Smith scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 60 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 38 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 Washington race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Washington 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.