Card image cap

Lamar Smith'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%
2014
94%
2009-2010
94%
2009-2010
100%
2007-2008
100%
2007-2008
100%
2005-2006
100%
2005-2006
100%
2003
100%
2003
100%
2017-2018
100%
2015-2016
100%
2015-2016
100%
2013-2014
100%
2013-2014
100%
2011-2012
100%
2011-2012
100%
2009-2010
100%
2009-2010
100%
2009
100%
2009
100%
2007-2008
100%
2007-2008
100%
2005-2006
100%
2005-2006
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003
100%
2003
91%
2001-2002
91%
2001-2002
92%
1999-2000
92%
1999-2000
100%
2014
100%
2011
100%
2011
100%
2009-2010
100%
2009-2010
90%
2007-2008
90%
2007-2008
92%
2004
92%
2004
92%
2003
92%
2003
100%
2002
100%
2002
93%
1999-2000
93%
1999-2000
100%
1997-1998
100%
1997-1998
89%
1997
89%
1997
100%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
71%
1991-1992
71%
1991-1992
100%
2018
100%
2017
100%
2017
100%
2016
100%
2016
100%
2015
100%
2015
100%
2014
100%
2014
100%
2013-2014
100%
2013-2014
100%
2013
100%
2013
83%
2012
83%
2012
90%
2011
90%
2011
100%
2009-2010
100%
2009-2010
100%
2007-2008
100%
2007-2008
100%
2006
100%
2006
85%
2005
85%
2005
100%
2004
100%
2004
100%
2003
100%
2003
90%
2001-2002
90%
2001-2002
90%
2001
90%
2001
100%
2000
100%
2000
100%
2018
75%
2017
75%
2017
100%
2016
100%
2016
55%
2015
55%
2015
82%
2014
82%
2014
69%
2013
69%
2013
100%
2012
100%
2012
100%
2011
100%
2011
100%
2008
100%
2008
16%
2007
16%
2007
16%
2007
16%
2007
93%
2009
93%
2005-2006
93%
2005-2006
80%
2015
63%
2013
95%
2013
63%
2013
32%
2013
32%
2013
95%
2013
80%
2009
80%
2009
77%
2009
77%
2009
82%
2007
82%
2007
61%
2007
61%
2007
42%
2005
64%
2005
85%
2005
64%
2005
42%
2005
85%
2005
53%
2004
53%
2004
85
2003
85
2003
85
2003
85
2003
85
2003
85
2003
83
2002
83
2002
83
2002
83
2002
83
2002
83
2002
74%
2001
74%
2001
74%
2000
74%
2000
55%
2017-2018
55%
2017-2018
60%
2015-2016
60%
2015-2016
60%
2015-2016
60%
2015-2016
65%
2015
65%
2015
54%
2014
60%
2014
54%
2014
60%
2014
55%
2013-2014
55%
2013-2014
55%
2013-2014
55%
2013-2014
80%
2013
80%
2013
63%
2011-2012
63%
2011-2012
63%
2011-2012
63%
2011-2012
70%
2011
70%
2011
80%
2011
80%
2011
89%
2010
89%
2010
89%
2009-2010
89%
2009-2010
90%
2009-2010
90%
2009-2010
80%
2009-2010
80%
2009-2010
80%
2009-2010
80%
2009-2010
89%
2009-2010
89%
2009-2010
90%
2009-2010
90%
2009-2010
95%
2009
100%
2009
89%
2009
100%
2009
89%
2009
95%
2009
62%
2007-2008
62%
2007-2008
62%
2007-2008
62%
2007-2008
50%
2007
50%
2007
33%
2006
33%
2006
0%
2005
0%
2005
25%
2004
40%
2004
40%
2004
25%
2004
38%
2003
38%
2003
44%
2002
44%
2002
68%
2001
68%
2001
61%
2000
61%
2000
62%
1999
62%
1999
50%
1998
50%
1998
37%
1997
37%
1997
48%
1995-1996
48%
1995-1996
48%
1995-1996
48%
1995-1996
arrow_upward