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Democrat · New York Senate, district 22

Serving since May 27, 2025NY 2025–26 session

Portrait of Sam Sutton, rendered as a two-tone print
Official portrait
60%
of roll calls missed, the lowest attendance of 62 in the New York Senate

Attendance 40%; the average within the New York Senate is 94.5%. Ranks 62nd of 62, where 1st has the highest attendance. 2,878 roll calls in the NY 2025–26 session.

Attendance is the share of the roll calls Sutton could vote on where a yea, nay or present was recorded, ranked within the New York Senate. A missed vote has many causes, from illness to campaigning; the number says how often, not why.

At a glance

6 measures against the New York Senate. Sutton sits at −0.28 on the CSIP scale, more conservative than 93% of State Senate Democrats. Sutton reported $474.1K in the 2026 cycle, in the top tenth of State Senate Democrats (median $55.5K).

The measures on which Sutton sits furthest from the middle of the New York Senate, each against the same group, with the CSIP score when there is one. Every number is explained in its own section below.

Attendance

40%

New York Senate average 94.5% · ranks 62nd of 62 · 2,878 roll calls

CSIP ideology

−0.28

More conservative than 93% of State Senate Democrats · ± 0.08

Itemized, 2026

$474.1K

State Senate Democrats’ median $55.5K · ranks 64th of 746

From New York, 2026

85%

Of itemized individual dollars · ranks 519th of 714 State Senate Democrats

Party unity

96.6%

New York Senate average 93.2% · ranks 36th of 62 · 9 votes against the majority of New York Senate Democrats

Out of committee

43%

New York Senate average 44% · ranks 30th of 62

Peer group: New York Senate. Rank 1 is the highest value in the group; the thick bar is Sutton, the thin grey bar the peer average. The headline is the measure on which Sutton is most unusual among peers (Methods, §08).

Back to topNext: What politicians say

What Sutton says

No statements for the NY 2025–26 session.No classified statements (posts, press releases, newsletters, floor speeches) in this time window.

Back to topNext: Policy

Policy

No policy statements for the NY 2025–26 session.No classified statements (posts, press releases, newsletters, floor speeches) in this time window.

Back to topNext: Ideology

Ideology

Sutton sits at −0.28 on the CSIP scale, left of 0, more conservative than 93% of State Senate Democrats. Approximate range −0.35 to −0.20, which understates the uncertainty; from 452 donors and 99 roll calls.

CSIP, the lab’s Common-Space Ideal Point, places every official, federal and state, on one left–right scale, estimated from roll-call votes, who gives money to whom, and the text of statements. Negative is left of 0, positive right of it; 0 is the centre of the scale, not a definition of “moderate”.

−0.28

CSIP ideal point

Approximate range −0.35 to −0.20. From 452 donors and 99 roll calls. Run 2026-10-25T215945. Blue is left of 0, red right of 0.

← More liberalMore conservative →0Sutton −0.3State Senate Democrats −0.7New York Senate −0.5All State Senate +0.1

The outlined dot is Sutton, coloured by its side of 0 (blue left, red right, deeper further out); the bar through it is the approximate range (±1.96 standard errors), which understates the uncertainty; the grey ticks below are the medians of Sutton’s groups. 0 is the centre of the scale, not “moderate” by definition.

What this means, and what it doesn’t

The score summarises how an official votes, who funds them and how they talk, relative to everyone else. It does not grade positions as good or bad, and two officials with the same score can differ on any single issue. The ± range is 1.96 standard errors, which understates the uncertainty: scores whose ranges overlap may not differ at all, and even scores whose ranges do not overlap may not differ.

Where Sutton sits

Every official in each group, on the CSIP scale

−2.0−1.00.0+1.0+2.0← More liberalMore conservative →State Senate Democratsmedian −0.7Sutton −0.3New York Senatemedian −0.5All State Senatemedian +0.1
Show the data
Sutton's CSIP score of −0.28 placed against State Senate Democrats, New York Senate, All State Senate.
GroupOfficialsMedianShare left of Sutton
State Senate Democrats825−0.793%
New York Senate62−0.563%
All State Senate1909+0.140%
How to read the strips

Every small dot is one official on the same scale, coloured by its own score (blue left of 0, red right of 0, grey at 0, deeper further out) and spread up and down only to keep dots apart; where a group is crowded the dots overlap, and darker patches mean more officials. The large outlined dot is Sutton in every row; the rule is each group’s median. The table under the figure gives the share of each group to the left of Sutton.

Back to topNext: Money

Money

Sutton reported $474.1K in the 2026 cycle, 8.5 times the State Senate Democrats’ median of $55.5K. State filings report no small-donation total. 85% of itemized individual money came from New York.

Campaign money from state campaign-finance filings, as aggregates only; the lab never shows an individual donor. Campaigns must report by name every person who gives them more than $200 in a cycle (“itemized”); smaller gifts are reported only as one total (“unitemized”), so donor counts, donor states, employers and occupations describe itemized donors only. State filings report no small-gift total, so these figures add up itemized contributions only.

$474.1K

itemized in the 2026 cycle

From 470 itemized donors. State Senate Democrats’ median $55.5K.

Where the money came from

Each square is one percent of itemized contributions in the 2026 cycle.

Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)Individuals (itemized): $468.1K (98.7%)PACs and other committees: $6,000 (1.3%)
  • Individuals (itemized)99 squares$468.1K
  • PACs and other committees1 squares$6,000
Show the data
Sources of Sutton's money, 2026 cycle, one square per percent
SourceAmountShare
Individuals (itemized)$468.1K98.7%
PACs and other committees$6,0001.3%
What this means, and what it doesn’t

Totals say how much a campaign took in, not how it was spent, and they rise sharply when a seat is up for election; compare cycles with that in mind.

Receipts by cycle

Itemized contributions, 2026 to 2026. The grey line is the State Senate Democrats’ median for 2026.

2026 cycle: $474.1K$474.1K2026State Senate Democrats median $55.5K
Show the data
Sutton's receipts by cycle against the 2026 State Senate Democrats median.
ItemValue
2026 cycle$474.1K

Top donor states, 2026

Itemized contributions by donor state. 85% came from New York.

  1. New York$398.7K
  2. New Jersey$53.3K
  3. Pennsylvania$10.0K
  4. Florida$5,855
  5. Virginia$200

Small donations

State filings report no total for small gifts.

Not reported in state filings.

Where itemized donors live

Individuals who gave more than $200, by donor state

Alaska: no dataAKMaine: no dataMEVermont: no dataVTNew Hampshire: no dataNHWashington: no dataWAIdaho: no dataIDMontana: no dataMTNorth Dakota: no dataNDMinnesota: no dataMNIllinois: $29ILWisconsin: no dataWIMichigan: no dataMINew York: $398.7KNYRhode Island: no dataRIMassachusetts: $6MAOregon: $5ORNevada: no dataNVWyoming: no dataWYSouth Dakota: no dataSDIowa: no dataIAIndiana: $24INOhio: no dataOHPennsylvania: $10.0KPANew Jersey: $53.3KNJConnecticut: $2CTCalifornia: $3CAUtah: $8UTColorado: $10CONebraska: no dataNEMissouri: no dataMOKentucky: $6KYWest Virginia: no dataWVVirginia: $200VAMaryland: $29MDDelaware: no dataDEArizona: no dataAZNew Mexico: no dataNMKansas: $6KSArkansas: no dataARTennessee: no dataTNNorth Carolina: $1NCSouth Carolina: no dataSCDistrict of Columbia: no dataDCOklahoma: no dataOKLouisiana: no dataLAMississippi: no dataMSAlabama: no dataALGeorgia: $1GAHawaii: no dataHITexas: $1TXFlorida: $5,855FL
Show the data
Sutton's itemized individual contributions by donor state, 2026 cycle
StateValue
New York$398.7K
New Jersey$53.3K
Pennsylvania$10.0K
Florida$5,855
Virginia$200
Illinois$29
Maryland$29
Indiana$24
Colorado$10
Utah$8
Massachusetts$6
Kansas$6
Kentucky$6
Oregon$5
California$3
Connecticut$2
North Carolina$1
Georgia$1
Texas$1
AlaskaNo data
MaineNo data
VermontNo data
New HampshireNo data
WashingtonNo data
IdahoNo data
MontanaNo data
North DakotaNo data
MinnesotaNo data
WisconsinNo data
MichiganNo data
Rhode IslandNo data
NevadaNo data
WyomingNo data
South DakotaNo data
IowaNo data
OhioNo data
NebraskaNo data
MissouriNo data
West VirginiaNo data
DelawareNo data
ArizonaNo data
New MexicoNo data
ArkansasNo data
TennesseeNo data
South CarolinaNo data
District of ColumbiaNo data
OklahomaNo data
LouisianaNo data
MississippiNo data
AlabamaNo data
HawaiiNo data
470

itemized donors

People who gave more than $200

85%

from New York

Of itemized individual dollars

How to read the map

Every state the same size. Darker states gave more itemized money; hatched states had no itemized donors; the outlined state is New York. Gifts of $200 or less carry no address and are left out.

Top donor occupations

Itemized, 2026 cycle.

  1. NOT EMPLOYED$93.6K 104 donors
  2. REAL ESTATE$46.4K 43 donors
  3. SALES$42.7K 31 donors
  4. CEO$33.1K 17 donors
  5. EXECUTIVE$29.0K 19 donors

Top committees

PAC and committee contributions, 2026 cycle.

  1. ASC PAC$5,000
  2. REAL ESTATE BOARD PAC$500
  3. UFCW$500

Top employers

Itemized, 2026 cycle.

  1. FIT FOR LIFE$10.8K 4 donors
  2. ICECAP GROUP$10.5K 4 donors
  3. OWNER$9,300 4 donors
  4. DELTA CHILDREN$3,500 3 donors
  5. KSR$750 3 donors

Aggregates only. Individual donors are never named.

Back to topNext: Votes

Votes

Sutton voted with the majority of New York Senate Democrats on 96.6% of party-line votes and missed 60% of 2,878 roll calls. New York Senate on average: 93.2% party unity, 94.5% attendance. Across all roll calls, Sutton voted against the majority of New York Senate Democrats 9 times.

2,878 roll calls Sutton could vote on in the NY 2025–26 session, compared with New York Senate. Attendance is the share with a vote recorded. Party unity counts only party-line roll calls, where most Democrats and most Republicans voted on opposite sides, and is the share of those where Sutton voted with the majority of New York Senate Democrats. The count of votes against that majority covers every roll call where the majority took a side.

9

votes against the majority of New York Senate Democrats

Party unity 96.6%, New York Senate average 93.2%, ranks 36th of 62. 2,878 roll calls in the NY 2025–26 session.

Attendance and party unity

The thick bar is Sutton, the thin grey bar the New York Senate average. The scale runs from 30% to 100% to show the gap.

30%100%
Sutton
Peers
Rank
Attendance
40%
94.5%
62nd of 62
Party unity
96.6%
93.2%
36th of 62
Show the data
Sutton's attendance and party unity against New York Senate.
RowSuttonPeers
Attendance40%94.5%
Party unity96.6%93.2%
What this means, and what it doesn’t

A missed roll call has many causes, from illness to campaigning, so attendance says how often, not why. A vote against the majority can be on procedure as well as substance, and many fall on roll calls where both parties split; the key votes below show the ones that decided something.

Key votes

25 roll calls the lab flagged as key in the NY 2025–26 session

Key votes
Party split (yea–nay)Why it’s key
Jun 4, 2026
R 2355
Establishes a plan setting forth an itemized list of grantees for a certain appropriation for the 2026-27 state fiscal year for additional grants in aid to certain school districts, public libraries
Floor Vote
Did not vote—passD 38–0 · R 15–7Democrats 38 yea, 0 nay; Republicans 15 yea, 7 nayparty crossover
Jun 4, 2026
A 11538
Extends the expansion of eligibility for World Trade Center death and disability benefits for members of New York's organized militia
Floor Vote
Did not vote—passD 38–0 · R 22–0Democrats 38 yea, 0 nay; Republicans 22 yea, 0 naybecame law
Jun 4, 2026
S 1004
Relates to determining the capacity of a defendant to stand trial
Floor Vote - Version: B
Did not vote—passD 38–0 · R 8–14Democrats 38 yea, 0 nay; Republicans 8 yea, 14 nayparty crossover
Jun 4, 2026
A 329
Relates to setting integrated behavioral health services
Floor Vote - Version: C
Did not vote—passD 38–0 · R 22–0Democrats 38 yea, 0 nay; Republicans 22 yea, 0 naybecame law
Jun 4, 2026
S 10223
Authorizes the South End Children's Cafe to file an application for a retroactive real property tax exemption with the city of Albany assessor
Floor Vote - Version: A
Did not vote—passD 37–1 · R 21–1Democrats 37 yea, 1 nay; Republicans 21 yea, 1 naybecame law
How key votes are chosen

Automatically: a final-passage or override vote where the measure became law, the margin was under 10%, at least 10% of either party voted against its majority, or the bill was among the 25 most mentioned in officials’ own statements. Up to 25 per window, most recent first; five are shown. Bars show yea on the left, nay on the right, per party.

Votes most often with

The colleagues who voted the same way as Sutton most often

  1. Jeremy ZellnerD709 shared votes99%
  2. Erik BottcherD691 shared votes99%
  3. Roxanne PersaudD1,144 shared votes99%
  4. Rachel MayD1,144 shared votes99%
  5. Cordell CleareD1,144 shared votes99%

Votes least often with

The colleagues who voted the same way as Sutton least often

  1. Mark WalczykR1,144 shared votes66%
  2. Alexis WeikR1,132 shared votes66%
  3. Patricia Canzoneri-FitzpatrickR1,144 shared votes72%
  4. Andrew LanzaR1,132 shared votes73%
  5. Tom O'MaraR1,144 shared votes74%
How to read the agreement lists

The share of roll calls both members voted on where they voted the same way, among colleagues sharing at least 50 such votes. High agreement with members of the other party is common on routine votes.

Full voting record

NY 2025–26 session, loads in batches

Back to topNext: Legislation

Legislation

Sutton sponsored 37 bills in the NY 2025–26 session; 2 became law. Cosponsored 269 others. 43% of sponsored bills got out of committee (New York Senate average 44%; 30th of 62).

The bills Sutton sponsored and cosponsored in the NY 2025–26 session, from the official bill records, and how far each got: introduced, referred to or acted on in committee, passed one chamber, passed both, became law. A bill counts at every stage it has reached, so the blocks only shrink to the right.

Bills by stage

Counts for the NY 2025–26 session

Sponsored37 billsSponsored, Introduced: 3737Sponsored, In committee: 3737Sponsored, Passed one chamber: 1010Sponsored, Passed both chambers: 33Sponsored, Became law: 22Cosponsored269 billsCosponsored, Introduced: 269269Cosponsored, In committee: 269269Cosponsored, Passed one chamber: 198198Cosponsored, Passed both chambers: 55Cosponsored, Became law: 00IntroducedIncommitteePassed onechamberPassed bothchambersBecamelaw
Show the data
Bills Sutton sponsored and cosponsored, by furthest stage reached
RoleIntroducedIn committeePassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law
Sponsored37371032
Cosponsored26926919850
How to read the blocks

Ink blocks are bills Sutton sponsored, ochre blocks bills Sutton cosponsored; the figure above each block is the count. Most bills in any legislature never leave committee, so a short staircase is the norm.

43%

of sponsored bills got out of committee

New York Senate average 44%. Ranks 30th of 62.

Cosponsorship partners

Colleagues who most often cosponsor with Sutton, by number of shared bills in the NY 2025–26 session; the square shows their party.

  1. Joe Addabbo44
  2. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton37
  3. James Skoufis34
  4. Robert Jackson33
  5. Julia Salazar32
What this means, and what it doesn’t

The score is the share of sponsored bills that a committee reported out or a chamber passed, with at least 5 sponsored bills, ranked within the peer group. Members of the majority party and committee chairs move more bills, so the rank reflects position in the chamber as well as effort. Cosponsorship partners are the five colleagues who share the most of Sutton’s bills; the toggle shows more.

Bill list

Sponsored and cosponsored, with status and policy area; five are shown, the toggle shows the rest

Bills sponsored and cosponsored
S 10721Authorizes a person to limit the gambling self-exclusion to online platformsSponsorOct 16, 2026In committeeCommerce(model)REFERRED TO RULES Oct 16, 2026
S 10712Allows certain persons to practice as a mental health practitioner under supervision for a certain period of time if application and fee requirements are metSponsorSep 30, 2026In committeeHealth(model)REFERRED TO RULES Sep 30, 2026
S 10713Authorizes the division of housing and community renewal to enforce building codesSponsorSep 30, 2026In committeeHousing and Community Development(model)REFERRED TO RULES Sep 30, 2026
S 10709Enacts the "Count me out!: Ending New York funding of designated foreign terrorist organizations act"SponsorSep 30, 2026In committeeCrime and Law Enforcement(model)REFERRED TO RULES Sep 30, 2026
S 10703Establishes the crime of private carrier package theftSponsorSep 23, 2026In committeeCrime and Law Enforcement(model)REFERRED TO RULES Sep 23, 2026

Back to topNext: Online

Online

The lab crawls Sutton’s official and campaign websites (weekly for Congress, monthly for the states) and keeps every page’s text, so changes can be read later; it also records social accounts and describes the images Sutton posts with a vision model.

Websites

No websites are tracked for this official.

How to read the counts

“Pages crawled” is the size of the site at the last crawl; “changes in 90 days” counts pages whose text differed from the previous crawl. Sites change for many routine reasons, such as new press releases, so a high count is not by itself notable.

Social accounts

No social accounts on file.

Images Sutton posted

No images from Sutton’s posts have been described.

About the descriptions

Written by a vision model and may be wrong. Open the post to see the original. Five are shown; the toggle shows the rest.

State floor speeches

3 turns, Mar 11, 2026 to Jun 2, 2026

Floor speeches

Transcribed from chamber video or captions by the lab. They are not classified for kinds of statement.

Back to topNext: Methods and sources

Methods and sources

How this page was made. Profile built Oct 28, 2026; site last built Oct 28, 2026. Every number on the page is computed from the sources listed here, by the same rules for every official; nothing is written by hand.

The headline

The headline is the measure on which Sutton is most unusual among New York Senate, chosen by one rule for every official of every party. The candidates are the rate of each kind of statement and of extreme labels, party unity, attendance, the small-donor share, the in-state share and total receipts of the latest cycle, the share of sponsored bills that got out of committee, talk-to-bills agreement, and the CSIP score’s place within the party group.

The builder ranks every measure within the same peer group the page compares it with, and writes each official’s percentile: the share of the group below the value, ties counting half, so 0.5 is the median and a value shared by many never ranks first. A measure’s score is how far that percentile sits from the median (0 in the middle, 0.5 at either end), and the highest score leads if it is above 0.25, outside the middle half of the group. Scores within 0.03 of each other are a tie, broken in this order: votes against the party majority, kinds of statement, ideology, roll calls missed, small donations, in-state money, legislation, agreement, extreme labels, receipts.

A measure counts only with at least 200 statements, 100 roll calls or 5 sponsored bills behind it and a peer group of at least 10. Two things never lead: high party unity or attendance, where most members sit, and a high rate of a kind of statement backed by fewer than 10 statements. When nothing qualifies, the headline is a neutral fact instead: statements classified, or years in office. The wording always names the direction (“in the bottom 5% of …”, “votes against the majority of …”).

Identifiers

Profile id
f56ef763-1f12-493d-a4e6-30e5572417e0
Open States
ocd-person/f56ef763-1f12-493d-a4e6-30e5572417e0

Bulk files with the same data for every official:

Freshness of this profile’s data

  • What politicians sayOct 27, 20261 days agoMembers of Congress: tweets since 2017; press releases, newsletters and floor speeches since 2022. State legislators: tweets since May 2024. Governors: tweets since January 2025. Labels from an LLM classifier.
  • Roll calls (state)Oct 21, 20267 days agoOpen States floor roll calls, 2019 on (none for AK and MO).
  • Bills (state)Oct 28, 2026todayOpen States bills and sponsors, 2019 on; stages from roll calls.
  • Campaign money (state)no dateState campaign-finance agencies, 2019 on; aggregates only.
  • Ideology (CSIP)Oct 25, 20263 days agoCommon-Space Ideal Points (CSIP), current validated run.
  • WebsitesOct 25, 20263 days agoWeekly crawls of federal sites since April 2026; monthly state crawls since June 2026.
  • State floor speechesOct 21, 20267 days agoState floor speech turns (published transcripts and captions), 2020 on; not LLM-classified.

How the measures work

What politicians say
Every post, press release, newsletter and congressional floor speech is read by a language model and marked for personal attacks, policy criticism, policy discussion, bipartisanship and credit claiming. A statement can be in several. Rates are shares of statements in the window. The methods paper.
Extreme labels
A statement has an extreme label when it calls a politician, party or policy “far left”, “far right”, “MAGA”, “extreme”, “radical”, “woke”, “fascist” or “communist”. The target is who the label is aimed at.
Policy areas and agreement
Statements and bills share 25 Congressional Research Service policy areas (state bills are assigned by a language model). Agreement is 1 − Jensen–Shannon distance between the two distributions, shown with at least 20 policy statements and 5 bills.
Ideology (CSIP)
Common-Space Ideal Points place federal and state officials on one left–right scale, estimated jointly from roll calls, campaign contributions and the text of statements, with standard errors. Only a validated run is shown. The methods paper.
Campaign money
Campaigns report by name only donors who give more than $200 in a cycle; smaller gifts are reported as one total. Federal totals and the small-donor share come from the FEC’s financial summaries of each campaign committee. Donor counts, donor states, employers and occupations cover itemized donors only. State filings report no small-gift totals, so state figures are itemized only. The lab never publishes donor names.
Votes and key votes
Attendance, party unity and the count of votes against the majority of an official’s own party come from roll calls (Voteview for Congress, chamber records for the states). Key votes are final-passage or override votes that became law, were decided by under 10%, saw at least 10% of a party vote against its majority, or concerned one of the 25 bills most mentioned in officials’ statements.
Peers and ranks
Comparisons are with the same party, chamber and level (for example House Democrats); state legislators are compared within their state and chamber for votes. Every comparison names its group. Rank 1 is the highest value in the group; tied values share the average of their ranks, and the percentile is the share of the group below the value, ties counting half.

America’s Political Pulse · Polarization Research Lab

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