Candidate · November 3, 2026

Katherine M. Clark

On the ballot for U.S. House · Massachusetts's 5th District

DemocraticIncumbent
raised through Oct 14, 2026
$5.0M
cash on hand
$1.2M
issues with public statements
13

§1On the ballot

Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.

OfficeU.S. House · Massachusetts's 5th District1,2
Party on the ballotDemocratic1,2
StatusIncumbent — Currently represents Massachusetts's 5th District in the U.S. House.3
Also on the ballotNo other candidate is on the ballot for this race.

§2Who they are

Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Her official House biography says she has represented Massachusetts's 5th District since 2013 and was elected Democratic Whip by her colleagues in the fall of 2022.4 It says she previously served as Assistant Speaker of the House and Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus.4 It says that before Congress she was a state senator, a state representative and a member of the Melrose School Committee.4 It says she also served as general counsel for the Massachusetts Office of Child Care Services and as policy chief for the Massachusetts Attorney General.4

Why they say they're running

Her campaign website says she is running for re-election to build on the progress made together in her district, and lists delivering an affordable America, voting rights, climate, health care access and a fair economy for women, kids and communities of color as urgent work.5

Service in Congress since 2023

  • 2025–nowU.S. Representative, MA-53
  • 2023–2025U.S. Representative, MA-53

Websites and accounts

§3What they've said on the issues

Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.

Economy, Jobs and Trade

Tariffs

Her campaign website says she fought to lift President Trump's tariffs, which it says have made everything more expensive.5,7

  1. Lower or remove most tariffs
  2. Targeted tariffs on some countries or goods
  3. Broad tariffs on most imports
Marked: the option their statement matches.
Union organizing rules

Her campaign website says every worker should have the right to join a union and lists helping pass House legislation to protect collective bargaining rights among her accomplishments.7

Health Care

Federal Medicaid funding

Her campaign website says she led the fight against the Trump administration's cuts to Medicaid and is fighting to cancel them.5,7

  1. Reduce federal Medicaid spending further, such as by giving states fixed yearly amounts (block grants or per-person limits)
  2. Keep the funding rules set by the 2025 law
  3. Reverse the 2025 changes or increase federal funding
Marked: the option their statement matches.
ACA premium tax credits

Her campaign website says she fought to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits that Republicans have not reauthorized.7

Family and Social Policy

Paid family and medical leave

Her campaign website lists among her accomplishments helping pass House legislation to extend paid leave to every worker, and says every worker should have benefits such as paid family leave.7

  1. Create a national paid leave program for all workers
  2. Expand tax credits for employers that offer paid leave, without a national requirement
  3. Keep current federal law, leaving paid leave to employers and states
Marked: the option their statement matches.
Child tax credit

Her campaign website lists among her accomplishments helping pass the American Rescue Plan, which it says significantly increased the child tax credit and expanded childcare.7,8

Child care costs

Her campaign website says child care should be treated as essential infrastructure and lists securing the largest investment in affordable childcare in American history among her accomplishments.7

Abortion and Reproductive Health

Who sets abortion law

Her campaign website lists among her accomplishments leading the House to pass legislation to ensure federal abortion access, protect birth control access and stop political prosecution of doctors and women who cross state lines for healthcare.7

  1. A national law making abortion legal in every state, at least until viability, as under Roe v. Wade
  2. Leave abortion law to each state
  3. A national law limiting abortion (for example, after 15 weeks of pregnancy)
Marked: the option their statement matches.

Courts, Rights and Civil Liberties

Voting Rights Act protections

Her campaign website lists championing House passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act among her accomplishments.7

  1. Restore and widen protections by law, such as federal approval of voting changes in places with a history of discrimination (for example, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act)
  2. Keep current law, as the Supreme Court read it in 2026, without the federal approval requirement
  3. Stop applying the law to how district maps are drawn
Marked: the option their statement matches.
Discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity

Her campaign website says she voted to create explicit protections for the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination.7

Guns

AR-15-style rifles

Her campaign website says she voted to ban assault weapons.7

  1. Ban the sale of these rifles
  2. Keep sales legal, with added limits such as a minimum buying age of 21
  3. No bans or added limits on these rifles
Marked: the option their statement matches.
Background checks for gun sales

Her campaign website says she voted to close background check loopholes.7

Foreign Policy and Defense

Who decides on military action

Her campaign website says she led the fight to end the Iran war and that, if Democrats take control of Congress, she will lead efforts to stop what it calls unauthorized wars by President Trump.5,7

§4Popular bills that never got a vote

Why this matters: Many bills with wide support from both parties never reach a vote, so no member of Congress is ever on record for or against them. Signing on as a sponsor or cosponsor is the only public record of support.

While Katherine M. Clark served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. Katherine M. Clark sponsored or cosponsored 0 of the 52. How bills die without a vote.

See all 52

§5Money

Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.

Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.61

Raised$5,026,058
Spent$5,122,401
Cash on hand$1,229,548

Where the money came from

Individual donors$1.3M · 25%
PACs and other political committees$2.1M · 42%
Transfers from the candidate's other committees$1.6M · 31%
Other receipts (other loans, refunds, interest)$81K · 2%

§6Financial disclosures

Why this matters: Federal candidates and members of Congress must report their assets, income, debts and outside jobs, and members must report stock trades. These filings show possible conflicts of interest.