or Login to see your representatives.

Access Candidates' and Representatives' Biographies, Voting Records, Interest Group Ratings, Issue Positions, Public Statements, and Campaign Finances

Simply enter your zip code above to get to all of your candidates and representatives, or enter a name. Then, just click on the person you are interested in, and you can navigate to the categories of information we track for them.

Special Interest Groups

Rating Group: National Committee for an Effective Congress

1997-1998 Positions

Issues: Liberal
State Office District Name Party Rating
HI Governor Neil Abercrombie Democratic 90%
Edmond Spencer Abraham 10%
Gary Ackerman 95%
AL U.S. House 4 Robert Aderholt Republican 0%
Daniel Akaka, Sr. 95%
Wayne Allard 0%
Thomas Allen 90%
NJ U.S. House 1 Rob Andrews Democratic 90%
Bill Archer 0%
Richard Armey 5%
John Ashcroft 0%
AL U.S. House 6 Spencer Bachus Republican 5%
Richard Hugh Baker 5%
John Baldacci 90%
Cass Ballenger 5%
James Barcia 65%
Robert Barr, Jr. 0%
WI Mayor At-Large Tom Barrett Democratic 95%
Bill Barrett 5%
Roscoe Bartlett 5%
TX U.S. House 6 Joe Barton Republican 5%
Charlie Bass 10%
Herbert Bateman 10%
MT U.S. Senate Sr Max Baucus Democratic 75%
CA U.S. House 34 Xavier Becerra Democratic 100%
Bob Bennett 15%
Kenneth Bentsen, Jr. 80%
Douglas Bereuter 10%
Howard Berman 85%
Marion Berry 70%
NA Vice President Joe Biden, Jr. Democratic 85%
Brian Bilbray 10%
Michael Bilirakis 5%
Jeff Bingaman 90%
GA U.S. House 2 Sanford Bishop, Jr. Democratic 75%
Rod Blagojevich 85%
Thomas Bliley, Jr. 5%
OR U.S. House 3 Earl Blumenauer Democratic 90%
MO U.S. Senate Jr Roy Blunt Republican 5%
Sherwood Boehlert 30%
OH U.S. House 8 John Boehner Republican 5%
Kit Bond 15%
Henry Bonilla 10%
David Edward Bonior 95%
Robert Borski, Jr. 85%
Leonard Boswell 70%
Rick Boucher 80%
CA U.S. Senate Jr Barbara Boxer Democratic 95%
Allen Boyd, Jr. 65%
TX U.S. House 8 Kevin Brady Republican 0%
John Breaux 65%
FL U.S. House 5 Corrine Brown Democratic 90%
George Brown, Jr. 95%
OH U.S. Senate Sr Sherrod Brown Democratic 95%
KS Governor Sam Brownback Republican 0%
Richard Bryan 75%
Ed Bryant 5%
Jim Bunning 5%
Conrad Burns 5%
NC U.S. Senate Sr Richard Burr Republican 5%
Dan Burton 5%
Steve Buyer 5%
Robert Byrd 80%
Herbert Callahan 5%
CA U.S. House 42 Ken Calvert Republican 5%
MI U.S. House 4 Dave Camp Republican 5%
Ben Campbell 15%
Thomas Campbell 25%
FL Justice of the Supreme Court Charles Canady 5%
Chris Cannon 5%
CA U.S. House 24 Lois Capps Democratic 95%
MD U.S. Senate Jr Ben Cardin Democratic 85%
Julia Carson 95%
Mike Castle 25%
OH U.S. House 1 Steve Chabot Republican 10%
John Chafee 40%
GA U.S. Senate Sr Saxby Chambliss Republican 5%
Helen Chenoweth-Hage 5%
William Clay, Sr. 95%
Eva Clayton 95%
Joseph Maxwell Cleland 85%
Robert Clement 75%
SC U.S. House 6 Jim Clyburn Democratic 90%
NC U.S. House 6 Howard Coble Republican 5%
OK U.S. Senate Jr Thomas Coburn Republican 5%
MS U.S. Senate Sr Thad Cochran Republican 20%
Michael Collins 5%
ME U.S. Senate Sr Susan Collins Republican 40%
Larry Combest 5%
Gary Condit 60%
Kent Conrad 85%
MI U.S. House 13 John Conyers, Jr. Democratic 95%
Merrill Cook 10%
John Cooksey 5%
Jerry Costello 75%
Paul Coverdell 10%
Christopher Cox 5%
William Coyne 95%
Larry Craig 5%
Robert Cramer 60%
Philip Crane 0%
ID U.S. Senate Sr Mike Crapo Republican 5%
Barbara Cubin 5%
MD U.S. House 7 Elijah Cummings Democratic 95%
Randall Cunningham 5%
Patsy Ann Danner 60%
Thomas Daschle 90%
IL U.S. House 7 Danny Davis Democratic 95%
James Davis 80%
Thomas Davis III 15%
GA Governor Nathan Deal Republican 5%
OR U.S. House 4 Peter DeFazio Democratic 90%
CO U.S. House 1 Diana DeGette Democratic 95%
Bill Delahunt 95%
CT U.S. House 3 Rosa DeLauro Democratic 95%
Thomas DeLay 5%
Peter Deutsch 90%
OH Attorney General Michael DeWine Republican 20%
Lincoln Diaz-Balart 15%
Jay Dickey 5%
Norm Dicks 80%
MI U.S. House 12 John Dingell Democratic 85%
Julian Dixon 90%
Chris Dodd 85%
TX U.S. House 35 Lloyd Doggett Democratic 90%
Pete Domenici, Jr. 15%
Calvin Dooley 75%
John Doolittle 5%
Byron Dorgan 90%
PA U.S. House 14 Mike Doyle, Jr. Democratic 70%
David Dreier 5%
TN U.S. House 2 John Duncan, Jr. Republican 10%
Jennifer Dunn 5%
IL U.S. Senate Sr Dick Durbin Democratic 95%
Chet Edwards 75%
Vern Ehlers 15%
Bob Ehrlich, Jr. 10%
Jo Ann Emerson 5%
NY U.S. House 16 Eliot Engel Democratic 90%
Philip English 15%
WY U.S. Senate Sr Mike Enzi Republican 0%
CA U.S. House 18 Anna Eshoo Democratic 90%
Bob Etheridge 80%
Lane Evans 90%
Terry Everett 5%
Thomas Ewing 5%
CA U.S. House 20 Sam Farr Democratic 95%
PA U.S. House 2 Chaka Fattah, Sr. Democratic 95%
Russ Feingold 90%
CA U.S. Senate Sr Dianne Feinstein Democratic 85%
CA Mayor At-Large Bob Filner Democratic 95%
Mark Foley 10%
Michael Patrick Forbes 30%
Harold Ford, Jr. 90%
Vito Fossella, Jr. 5%
Tillie Fowler 5%
Barney Frank 95%
Robert Franks 25%
NJ U.S. House 11 Rodney Frelinghuysen Republican 20%
William Frist 15%
Jonas Frost III 85%
Elton Gallegly 5%
John Ganske 10%
Sam Gejdenson 95%
George Gekas 10%
Richard Andrew Gephardt 95%
Jim Gibbons 10%
Wayne Gilchrest 20%
Paul Gillmor 10%
Benjamin Gilman 30%
Virgil Goode, Jr. 35%
VA U.S. House 6 Bob Goodlatte Republican 5%
William Goodling 10%
Bart Gordon 70%
Slade Gorton 15%
Porter Goss 5%
Daniel Graham 75%
SC U.S. Senate Sr Lindsey Graham Republican 5%
William Phillip Gramm 0%
Rodney Grams 0%
TX U.S. House 12 Kay Granger Republican 5%
IA U.S. Senate Sr Chuck Grassley Republican 10%
TX U.S. House 29 Gene Green Democratic 75%
James Greenwood 20%
Judd Gregg 10%
IL U.S. House 4 Luis Gutierrez Democratic 90%
Gilbert Gutknecht 5%
NA U.S. Secretary of Defense Charles Hagel Republican 5%
TX U.S. House 4 Ralph Hall Republican 35%
Tony Hall 70%
James Hansen 5%
IA U.S. Senate Jr Tom Harkin Democratic 95%
J. Dennis Hastert 5%
FL U.S. House 20 Alcee Hastings, Sr. Democratic 95%
WA U.S. House 4 Doc Hastings Republican 0%
UT U.S. Senate Sr Orrin Hatch Republican 15%
J.D. Hayworth, Jr. 5%
Joel Hefley 5%
Jesse Helms 0%
Wally Herger, Jr. 5%
Rick Hill 5%
Van Hilleary 5%
Earl Hilliard, Jr. 90%
Maurice Hinchey 95%
TX U.S. House 15 Rubén Hinojosa, Sr. Democratic 85%
David Lee Hobson 10%
Pete Hoekstra 5%
Thomas Holden 60%
Ernest Hollings 80%
Darlene Hooley 85%
Stephen Horn 25%
John Nathan Hostettler 5%
Amory Houghton, Jr. 25%
MD U.S. House 5 Steny Hoyer Democratic 85%
Kenny Hulshof 10%
Duncan Hunter 5%
Asa Hutchinson 5%
Y. Tim Hutchinson 5%
Kay Hutchison 5%
Henry Hyde 5%
OK U.S. Senate Sr Jim Inhofe Republican 0%
Daniel Inouye 90%
Ernest Istook, Jr. 5%
Jesse Jackson, Jr. 95%
TX U.S. House 18 Sheila Jackson Lee Democratic 95%
William Jefferson 90%
James Merrill Jeffords 50%
William Lewis Jenkins 5%
Christopher John 60%
TX U.S. House 30 Eddie Johnson Democratic 90%
Nancy Johnson 30%
TX U.S. House 3 Sam Johnson Republican 5%
SD U.S. Senate Sr Timothy Johnson Democratic 90%
NC U.S. House 3 Walter Jones, Jr. Republican 5%
Paul Kanjorski 80%
OH U.S. House 9 Marcy Kaptur Democratic 80%
OH Governor John Kasich Republican 5%
Sue Kelly 20%
Edward Kennedy, Sr. 95%
Patrick Kennedy 95%
Bob Kerrey 85%
NA U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Democratic 95%
Dale Kildee 80%
Carolyn Kilpatrick 95%
WI U.S. House 3 Ron Kind Democratic 85%
NY U.S. House 2 Pete King Republican 15%
GA U.S. House 1 Jack Kingston Republican 5%
Gerald Kleczka 80%
Ronald Klink 70%
Joseph Knollenberg 10%
Herb Kohl 75%
James Kolbe 15%
Dennis Kucinich 80%
Jon Kyl 0%
John LaFalce 85%
Ray LaHood 10%
Nicholas Lampson 85%
LA U.S. Senate Sr Mary Landrieu Democratic 80%
Tom Lantos 95%
Stephen Largent 5%
IA U.S. House 3 Tom Latham Republican 5%
Steve LaTourette 15%
Frank Lautenberg 95%
Rick Lazio 20%
James Leach 30%
VT U.S. Senate Sr Patrick Leahy Democratic 90%
MI U.S. Senate Sr Carl Levin Democratic 95%
MI U.S. House 9 Sandy Levin Democratic 90%
Jerry Lewis 10%
GA U.S. House 5 John Lewis Democratic 100%
Ron Lewis 5%
Joe Lieberman 75%
John Linder 5%
William Lipinski 60%
NJ U.S. House 2 Frank LoBiondo Republican 20%
CA U.S. House 19 Zoe Lofgren Democratic 90%
Trent Lott, Sr. 5%
NY U.S. House 17 Nita Lowey Democratic 95%
OK U.S. House 3 Frank Lucas Republican 5%
Dick Lugar 20%
William Luther 80%
Connie Mack 10%
NY U.S. House 12 Carolyn Maloney Democratic 95%
James Maloney 85%
Don Manzullo 5%
MA U.S. House 5 Ed Markey Democratic 95%
Matthew Martinez 85%
Frank Mascara 70%
Robert Matsui 90%
AZ U.S. Senate Sr John McCain III Republican 15%
NY U.S. House 4 Carolyn McCarthy Democratic 85%
Karen McCarthy 90%
Bill McCollum 5%
KY U.S. Senate Sr Mitch McConnell Republican 5%
James McCrery III 5%
WA U.S. House 7 Jim McDermott Democratic 95%
MA U.S. House 2 Jim McGovern Democratic 95%
John McHugh 15%
Scott McInnis 5%
David McIntosh 5%
NC U.S. House 7 Mike McIntyre Democratic 55%
CA U.S. House 25 Buck McKeon Republican 5%
Cynthia Ann McKinney 90%
Michael McNulty 90%
Martin Meehan 95%
Carrie Meek 90%
NY U.S. House 5 Gregory Meeks Democratic 95%
NJ U.S. Senate Sr Bob Menendez Democratic 90%
Jack Metcalf 10%
FL U.S. House 7 John Mica Republican 5%
MD U.S. Senate Sr Barbara Mikulski Democratic 90%
Juanita Millender-McDonald 95%
Dan Miller 10%
CA U.S. House 11 George Miller Democratic 95%
David Minge 75%
Patsy Takemoto Mink 95%
John Moakley 90%
Alan Mollohan 70%
VA U.S. House 8 Jim Moran, Jr. Democratic 80%
KS U.S. Senate Jr Jerry Moran Republican 5%
Constance Morella 40%
Patrick Moynihan 80%
Frank Murkowski 10%
WA U.S. Senate Sr Patty Murray Democratic 95%
Jack Murtha 65%
Sue Myrick 5%
NY U.S. House 10 Jerry Nadler Democratic 95%
MA U.S. House 1 Richard Neal Democratic 90%
George Nethercutt, Jr. 5%
Robert William Ney 10%
Don Nickles 0%
Anne Northup 5%
Charles Norwood, Jr. 5%
James Nussle 5%
Jim Oberstar 85%
Dave Obey 90%
John Olver 100%
Solomon Ortiz, Sr. 65%
Major Owens 95%
Michael Oxley 10%
Ronald Packard 5%
NJ U.S. House 6 Frank Pallone, Jr. Democratic 95%
NJ U.S. House 9 Bill Pascrell, Jr. Democratic 80%
AZ U.S. House 7 Ed Pastor Democratic 85%
Ron Paul 20%
Donald Payne 95%
Edward Pease 5%
CA U.S. House 12 Nancy Pelosi Democratic 95%
MN U.S. House 7 Collin Peterson Democratic/Farmer/Labor 60%
John Peterson 5%
WI U.S. House 6 Tom Petri Republican 15%
Charles Pickering, Jr. 5%
Owen Pickett 60%
PA U.S. House 16 Joe Pitts Republican 5%
Richard Pombo 5%
Earl Pomeroy 80%
John Edward Porter 20%
OH U.S. Senate Jr Rob Portman Republican 10%
NC U.S. House 4 David Price Democratic 85%
Deborah Pryce 5%
Jack Quinn 20%
George Radanovich 5%
WV U.S. House 3 Nick Rahall II Democratic 75%
James Ramstad 25%
NY U.S. House 13 Charlie Rangel Democratic 95%
RI U.S. Senate Sr Jack Reed Democratic 100%
Ralph Regula 10%
NV U.S. Senate Sr Harry Reid Democratic 85%
Silvestre Reyes 80%
Bob Riley 5%
Lynn Nancy Rivers 90%
Charles Robb 75%
KS U.S. Senate Sr Pat Roberts Republican 10%
WV U.S. Senate Sr Jay Rockefeller IV Democratic 90%
Ciro Rodriguez 85%
Timothy Roemer 65%
James Rogan 5%
KY U.S. House 5 Hal Rogers Republican 5%
CA U.S. House 48 Dana Rohrabacher Republican 5%
FL U.S. House 27 Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Republican 15%
William Roth, Jr. 20%
Steve Rothman 85%
Marge Roukema 25%
CA U.S. House 40 Lucille Roybal-Allard Democratic 100%
CA U.S. House 39 Ed Royce Republican 10%
IL U.S. House 1 Bobby Rush Democratic 95%
Jim Ryun 0%
Martin Olav Sabo 90%
AZ U.S. House 5 Matthew Salmon Republican 5%
CA U.S. House 46 Loretta Sanchez Democratic 85%
VT U.S. Senate Jr Bernie Sanders Independent 95%
Max Sandlin, Jr. 75%
SC U.S. House 1 Mark Sanford, Jr. Republican 10%
Rick Santorum 10%
Paul Sarbanes 100%
OH State Senate 28 Thomas Sawyer Democratic 95%
Jim Saxton 15%
Joe Scarborough 10%
CO State Board of Education 4 Robert Schaffer Republican 5%
NY U.S. Senate Sr Chuck Schumer Democratic 90%
VA U.S. House 3 Bobby Scott Democratic 90%
WI U.S. House 5 Jim Sensenbrenner, Jr. Republican 10%
NY U.S. House 15 José Serrano Democratic 95%
AL U.S. Senate Jr Jeff Sessions III Republican 0%
TX U.S. House 32 Pete Sessions Republican 0%
John Shadegg 5%
E. Clay Shaw, Jr. 10%
Christopher Shays 30%
AL U.S. Senate Sr Richard Shelby Republican 5%
CA U.S. House 30 Brad Sherman Democratic 80%
IL U.S. House 15 John Shimkus Republican 5%
E.G. Shuster 5%
Norman Sisisky 60%
Joseph Skeen 10%
Ike Skelton 60%
NY U.S. House 25 Louise Slaughter Democratic 95%
WA U.S. House 9 Adam Smith Democratic 80%
NJ U.S. House 4 Chris Smith Republican 20%
Gordon Smith 15%
TX U.S. House 21 Lamar Smith Republican 5%
Nick Smith 10%
Bob Smith 0%
Olympia Snowe 40%
Vic Snyder 85%
Mark Souder 5%
Arlen Specter 50%
Floyd Spence 5%
John Spratt, Jr. 80%
MI U.S. Senate Jr Debbie Stabenow Democratic 85%
Pete Stark 100%
Cliff Stearns 5%
Charles Stenholm 50%
Ted Stevens 20%
Ted Strickland 85%
Bob Stump 0%
Bart Stupak 85%
John Sununu 5%
James Talent 5%
John Tanner 65%
Ellen Tauscher 85%
William Tauzin 5%
Charles Taylor 5%
Gene Taylor 45%
Craig Thomas 5%
William Thomas 10%
MS U.S. House 2 Bennie Thompson Democratic 90%
Fred Thompson 10%
TX U.S. House 13 Mac Thornberry Republican 5%
SD U.S. Senate Jr John Thune Republican 5%
Karen Thurman 85%
Strom Thurmond 5%
Todd Tiahrt 0%
MA U.S. House 6 John Tierney Democratic 95%
Robert Torricelli 90%
Ed Towns 90%
James Traficant, Jr. 25%
James Turner 65%
MI U.S. House 6 Fred Upton Republican 15%
NY U.S. House 7 Nydia Velázquez Democratic 95%
Bruce Vento 95%
IN U.S. House 1 Pete Visclosky Democratic 80%
James Walsh 15%
Zach Wamp 10%
John Warner 15%
CA U.S. House 43 Maxine Waters Democratic 95%
Wesley Watkins 5%
NC U.S. House 12 Mel Watt Democratic 95%
Julius Caesar Watts, Jr. 5%
CA U.S. House 33 Henry Waxman Democratic 95%
David Weldon 0%
W. Curtis Weldon 15%
Gerald Weller 10%
Paul Wellstone 95%
Robert Wexler 90%
Bob Weygand 85%
KY U.S. House 1 Ed Whitfield Republican 5%
MS U.S. Senate Jr Roger Wicker Republican 5%
Bob Wise, Jr. 85%
VA U.S. House 10 Frank Wolf Republican 10%
Lynn Woolsey 100%
OR U.S. Senate Sr Ron Wyden Democratic 85%
Albert Wynn 85%
FL U.S. House 13 Bill Young Republican 10%
AK U.S. House At-Large Don Young Republican 10%

How to Interpret these Evaluations

Keep in mind that ratings done by special interest groups often do not represent a non-partisan stance. In addition, some groups select votes that tend to favor members of one political party over another, rather than choosing votes based solely on issues concerns. Nevertheless, they can be invaluable in showing where an incumbent has stood on a series of votes in the past one or two years, especially when ratings by groups on all sides of an issue are compared. Website links, if available, and descriptions of the organizations offering performance evaluations are accessible by clicking on the name of the group.

Most performance evaluations are displayed in a percentage format. However, some organizations present their ratings in the form of a letter grade or endorsement based on voting records, interviews, survey results and/or sources of campaign funding. For consistency and ease in understanding, Project Vote Smart converts all scores into a percentage when possible. Please visit the group's website or call 1-888-VOTESMART for more specific information.

Back to top