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James Talent's Ratings and Endorsements

Vote Smart displays all known interest group ratings for each candidate and official, regardless of issue or bias.

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 issue 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.

With rare exceptions, Vote Smart displays interest group ratings as a 0-100 percentage. While many interest groups use percentages as ratings to begin with, please note that Vote Smart has translated some ratings to a percentage from a different rating system for consistency and ease in understanding. Please visit the group's website, email us at ratings@votesmart.org or call our Voter Information Hotline at 1-888-VOTESMART for more specific information.

100%
2003
96%
1999-2000
100%
1999-2000
100%
1999
100%
1997-1998
100%
1997
100%
1996
0%
1999
0%
1996-2003
0%
1995-1998
0%
1993-1996
78%
1995-1996
86%
1993-1994
50%
1998
71%
1997
27%
1996
10%
1995
50%
1994
44%
1993
Fence Sitter
2002
Fence Sitter
2002
66%
2005
66%
2005
34%
2005
34%
2005
42%
2005
42%
2005
57%
2005
57%
2005
23%
2005
23%
2005
64%
2005
64%
2005
26%
2005
26%
2005
58%
2004
58%
2004
0%
2004
0%
2004
84%
2004
84%
2004
67%
2004
67%
2004
39%
2004
39%
2004
72%
2003
72%
2003
0%
2003
68%
2003
68%
2003
62%
2003
62%
2003
22%
2003
22%
2003
33%
2003
33%
2003
59%
2003
59%
2003
28%
2003
28%
2003
84%
1999
84%
1999
16%
1999
16%
1999
31%
1999
31%
1999
0%
1999
69%
1999
69%
1999
82%
1999
82%
1999
88%
1998
88%
1998
26%
1998
26%
1998
7%
1998
83%
1998
83%
1998
72%
1998
72%
1998
0%
1998
77%
1996
77%
1996
79%
1996
79%
1996
73%
1996
73%
1996
0%
1996
14%
1996
14%
1996
24%
1996
24%
1996
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003-2004
100%
2005
100%
2003
100%
2003
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003
100%
2003-2004
92%
2003-2004
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003-2004
0%
2003
0%
2003
13%
1999-2000
13%
1999-2000
42%
1997-1998
42%
1997-1998
64%
1997
64%
1997
26%
1995-1996
26%
1995-1996
75%
1997-1998
0%
2005
14%
2004
67%
2003
10%
1999-2000
10%
1999-2000
9%
1999
0%
1997-1998
0%
1997-1998
0%
1995-1996
0%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
100%
2003
96%
1999-2000
72%
2004
13%
2005
0%
2001-2004
0%
2004
0%
2004
0%
2003
0%
2003
36%
1999
36%
1999
13%
1998
13%
1998
17%
1997
17%
1997
0%
1996
0%
1996
0%
1995
0%
1995
29%
2003-2004
43%
2006
100%
2003
96%
1999-2000
0%
2004
0%
2003
0%
2003
0%
2003
13%
1999-2000
13%
1999-2000
42%
1997-1998
42%
1997-1998
64%
1997
64%
1997
26%
1995-1996
26%
1995-1996
100%
2003-2004
0%
2003
100%
2003
96%
1999-2000
43%
2006
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003-2004
100%
1993-1994
0%
2004
0%
2003
13%
2005
0%
2001-2004
0%
1999
100%
1998
25%
1997
0%
1996
14%
1995-1996
14%
1995-1996
100%
2003-2004
0%
2003
17%
2005-2006
33%
2004
100%
2003-2004
15%
2003-2004
50%
1998
71%
1997
27%
1996
10%
1995
50%
1994
44%
1993
17%
2003-2004
17%
2003-2004
38%
1993-2018
38%
1993-2018
38%
1993-2014
38%
1993-2014
10%
1999-2000
10%
1999-2000
9%
1999
0%
1997-1998
0%
1997-1998
0%
1995-1996
0%
1995-1996
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003-2004
100%
1993-1994
13%
2005
0%
2001-2004
0%
2004
0%
2004
0%
2003
0%
2003
36%
1999
36%
1999
13%
1998
13%
1998
17%
1997
17%
1997
0%
1996
0%
1996
0%
1995
0%
1995
0
2005
4%
2003-2004
5%
2003
10%
1999-2000
13%
1999
17%
1998
19%
1997
15%
1995-1996
0%
1999
100%
1998
25%
1997
0%
1996
100%
2003
72%
2004
100%
2003
100%
1999-2000
100%
1997-1998
89%
1997
100%
1995-1996
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003
92%
2000
75%
1997-1998
75%
1995-1996
10%
1999-2000
10%
1999-2000
9%
1999
0%
1997-1998
0%
1997-1998
0%
1995-1996
0%
1995-1996
100%
2004
100%
2003
100%
2003
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003
100%
2003
96%
1999-2000
96%
1999-2000
100%
2004
100%
2003
100%
2003
100%
1999-2000
100%
1999-2000
100%
1997-1998
100%
1997-1998
89%
1997
89%
1997
100%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
83%
2005
80%
2005
80%
2005
85%
2005
85%
2005
83%
2004
83%
2004
90
2003
90
2003
90
2003
90
2003
90
2003
90
2003
40%
2006
90%
2004
90%
2004
57%
1999
57%
1999
58%
1998
58%
1998
58%
1997
58%
1997
61%
1995-1996
61%
1995-1996
61%
1995-1996
61%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
0%
2003
0%
2003
13%
1999-2000
13%
1999-2000
42%
1997-1998
42%
1997-1998
64%
1997
64%
1997
26%
1995-1996
26%
1995-1996
60%
2003-2004
60%
2003-2004
0%
1999
100%
1998
25%
1997
0%
1996
100%
2003-2004
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