Race · November 3, 2026

U.S. House · Massachusetts's 8th District

3 candidates on the ballot.1,2

§1Candidates

Why this matters: Every candidate the state lists for this race on the November ballot, in the state's own order.

Stephen F. Lynch
Democratic · Incumbent
Currently represents Massachusetts's 8th District in the U.S. House.
Robert Gerald Burke
Republican · Challenger
Rasheed Nicholas Walters
Independent · Challenger

§2Side by side

Why this matters: The same facts for every candidate, in the same order. Where we found nothing for a candidate, the cell says so — that means we didn't find it in public sources, not that it doesn't exist.

Scroll sideways on small screens. Select a name for the full page.
Stephen F. LynchRobert Gerald BurkeRasheed Nicholas Walters
Party on the ballotDemocratic1,2Republican1,2Independent1,2
StatusIncumbent3ChallengerChallenger
Raised$1,052,703 through October 14, 20264$1,525 through September 30, 20265Not found in the public sources we checked
Cash on hand$493,9694-$16,9665Not found in the public sources we checked
Outside spending$77,931 for · $213,732 against6Not found in the public sources we checkedNot found in the public sources we checked
Health insurance system
Add a government plan that anyone can choose to buy
His campaign website's Healthcare page says he is committed to building on the Affordable Care Act by adding a strong public option to compete with private insurers.7		Not found in the public sources we checked
Add a government plan that anyone can choose to buy
His campaign website says he rejects single-payer universal healthcare and will introduce the American Healthcare Freedom and Fair Pricing Act, under which people could buy private insurance or enroll in a government-subsidized plan at $75 a month.8
Highway and transit fundingHis campaign website says he has pushed for funding to repair roads and bridges and is working to invest in modernizing public transportation.9Not found in the public sources we checkedHis campaign website says he will introduce legislation ending federal funding for bicycle-lane and bus-lane projects and will redirect federal transportation funding toward road repair.10,11

Issues only one candidate has addressed

By candidate, in ballot order. We found nothing public from the other candidates in this race on these issues.

Stephen F. Lynch — 11 issues
  • Government funding and abortion
    His campaign website says that when Republicans tried to defund women's health organizations such as Planned Parenthood, he fought the legislation on the House floor.12
  • Discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity
    Pass broad protections such as the Equality Act
    His campaign website says he has co-sponsored the Equality Act since it was first introduced in 2015 and lists its House passage in 2019 among his record.12
  • Federal minimum wage
    His campaign website says he is fighting for increasing the minimum wage, along with equal pay and paid leave.13
  • Student loan forgiveness
    Add targeted relief, such as more forgiveness for public service workers or through income-based repayment
    His campaign website says he has co-sponsored legislation to revise student loan repayments with an income-based plan and to expand public service loan forgiveness.14
  • Paid family and medical leave
    His campaign website says he is fighting for paid leave and lists supporting legislation to improve paid family and medical leave.12,13
  • Background checks for gun sales
    Require checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members)
    His campaign website says he supports universal background checks covering all firearms purchases, including those at gun shows, through classified ads and on the internet.15
  • Red flag laws
    Adopt more red flag laws, including a national one
    His campaign website says he has co-sponsored the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, which it says would allow federal funds to be used for states to enact red flag laws.15
  • Medicare drug price negotiation
    His campaign website's Supporting Our Seniors page says he co-sponsored Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation legislation, which it says would allow Medicare to negotiate discounted prices for prescription drugs.16
  • Social Security benefit levels
    Increase benefits, for example with larger yearly cost-of-living raises
    His campaign website's Supporting Our Seniors page says he will keep opposing any budget that would cut Social Security or Medicare, that he has fought chained CPI, which it says would shrink seniors' cost-of-living increases over time, and that he co-sponsored the Social Security 2100 Act, which it says would raise benefits.16
  • High-speed internet access
    His campaign website says he has consistently supported federal efforts to increase broadband access, particularly in rural and underserved areas.9
  • Rules for artificial intelligence
    Set rules for specific risks and uses, such as deepfakes, hiring decisions and safety disclosures
    His campaign website says he introduced legislation to ban the use of deepfake audio, video and photos in U.S. elections.17
Rasheed Nicholas Walters — 13 issues
  • Mandatory minimum sentences
    Add or raise mandatory minimums, for example for selling fentanyl
    His campaign website says he will introduce legislation setting mandatory minimum sentences for fentanyl distribution of 20 years for a first offense, 40 years for a second and life without parole for a third.18
  • Tariffs
    Targeted tariffs on some countries or goods
    His campaign website says he will codify the Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods, including 25 to 100 percent on electric vehicles, batteries and critical minerals, and the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum into permanent law, and it proposes new tariffs such as 35 percent on foreign semiconductors, 40 to 50 percent on foreign automobiles and 35 percent on auto parts.19
  • Trade agreements
    His campaign website says he will vote against every free trade deal that comes before Congress and supports reciprocal fair trade agreements instead.19
  • Who sets tariffs
    His campaign website says he will codify existing tariffs into permanent law so future administrations cannot reverse them.19
  • Food assistance (SNAP)
    His campaign website says he will restrict SNAP food stamps to nutritious, whole foods only.8
  • Help for first-time homebuyers
    His campaign website says he will work to reform SBA and federal mortgage lending so first-time buyers get better terms than institutional investors buying multiple properties.20
  • Large investors buying single-family homes
    His campaign website says he will introduce legislation to ban corporate real estate firms and investment funds from purchasing single-family homes.20
  • Zoning and new housing
    Leave zoning decisions to local governments
    His campaign website says he will defend local zoning control against the MBTA Communities Act, support legal challenges to state mandates and introduce the Suburban Zoning Protection Act.21
  • Border wall and barriers
    His campaign website says he will work to fund southern border barriers, surveillance technology and personnel to materially reduce illegal crossings.22
  • Immigration enforcement inside the country
    His campaign website says he will support federal law enforcement and ICE in identifying and removing illegal immigrants convicted of crimes such as rape, child molestation, assault and drunk driving, with priority deportation and more deportation capacity.22
  • Legal immigration levels
    His campaign website says he will end the H-1B, OPT, STEM OPT, L-1 and E-2 visa categories and other work visas, end student visas and sharply restrict the EB-1 visa.22
  • Business tax breaks
    Expand breaks for investment, research and hiring, such as larger research credits for small businesses
    His campaign website says he will provide accelerated depreciation, investment tax credits and research and development tax credits for domestic manufacturers.19
  • Corporate tax rate
    His campaign website says he will cut corporate tax rates for manufacturers that reshore and raise corporate taxes on multinational companies that offshore production.19

Issue statements are drafted by AI from the public sources cited, and only cover what each candidate has said publicly.