At RateYourGov, each grade reflects a leader’s real-world performance, responsibilities by role, and data-driven results. These grades are strengthened by verified feedback from citizens, insiders, and subject matter experts.
The President of the United States is the chief executive officer of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces, responsible for enforcing federal laws, setting national policy, and representing the country on the world stage. Presidents serve four-year terms and lead the executive branch of the federal government, overseeing departments, agencies, and national priorities while addressing crises and protecting the Constitution.
| Key Responsibilities Overview | |
|---|---|
| Commander-in-Chief | Oversee the U.S. military and make critical decisions on defense, national security, and foreign conflicts. |
| National Policy Leadership | Propose and shape legislation, deliver the State of the Union, and guide the nation’s priorities. |
| Economic Management | Propose federal budgets, influence monetary and tax policy, and respond to economic challenges like inflation and unemployment. |
| Crisis & Emergency Response | Lead the federal government’s response to natural disasters, pandemics, security threats, and national emergencies. |
| International Relations & Diplomacy | Represent the U.S. in global affairs, negotiate treaties, and manage relations with other nations. |
| Appointments & Oversight | Nominate federal judges, cabinet secretaries, and agency heads; oversee the operation of federal departments. |
| Law Enforcement & Justice | Ensure the faithful execution of laws, oversee federal agencies like the DOJ, and grant pardons or commutations. |
Performance grades are based on RateYourGov's independent, data-driven scoring model.
| Criteria | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| 💼 Jobs & Economy | This grade reflects how the President supported economic growth and workforce strength. It includes Job Growth (nonfarm employment), Unemployment Rate, Labor Force Participation, and Real GDP Growth. Together, these indicators show the health of the job market and overall economic performance during their term. |
| 💸 Affordability | Captures how affordable life became under the President’s leadership. It factors in: Inflation (CPI) – How fast prices rose and Cost-Adjusted Median Income – Whether incomes kept up with rising costs. This reflects the real-life financial pressure on everyday Americans. |
| 🟰 Equity & Access | Measures how well the nation expanded opportunity and reduced disparities. It includes: Poverty Rate, Income Inequality, and Uninsured Rate. This grade reflects progress in health and economic inclusion for all Americans. |
| 📊 Fiscal Stability | Evaluates how responsibly the President managed the nation’s finances. Debt-to-GDP Ratio is used to measure how much the country owed compared to what it produced — a key indicator of long-term fiscal health. |
| 🎓 Overall Grade – President | This overall grade shows how effectively a President led the country — from job growth to affordability, equity, and fiscal responsibility. It’s not about popularity. It’s about performance, impact, and whether the nation moved forward during their term. Resident feedback is factored into the grade, with greater weight given to insider and verified voters. |
Not every responsibility or decision made by a President can be fully captured through data alone. Grades only tell part of the story — but lived experience, domestic & global leadership style, policy impact, public trust, and ethical conduct often require deeper perspective. That’s why we include structured feedback from verified citizens, policy experts, and insiders who’ve worked closely with government — to fill in the gaps and complete a more accurate, well-rounded grade.
Once the RateYourGov mobile app is released, verified residents will be able to rate leaders — and those ratings will help shape the final grades in real time.
| Criteria | What It Captures From Verfified Citizens |
|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 National Leadership & Crisis Management | This reflects the President’s role as a national leader — guiding the country through crisis, unifying the public, and making tough decisions when it matters most. |
| ⚖️ Legislative Effectiveness & Policy Impact | This rating reflects the President’s ability to turn vision into action — whether through working with Congress or issuing executive orders — to shape the country’s direction through laws and policy. |
| 🌍 Global Leadership & Foreign Relations | This rating reflects how the President engages with the world — leading on global issues, protecting America’s interests, strengthening alliances, and showing sound judgment in foreign affairs. |
| 💰 Economic Management | This rating reflects how the President has handled key parts of the economy — including job growth, inflation, trade with other countries, and managing the national debt. |
| 🔍 Public Trust & Ethical Governance | This rating reflects the President’s ability to turn vision into action — whether through working with Congress or issuing executive orders — to shape the country’s direction through laws and policy. |
| ⭐ Resident & Insider Ratings | Weighted average ratings, with greater weight given to insider and verified voter feedback |
A U.S. Senator is an elected official who serves in the United States Senate, one of the two chambers of Congress. Each state elects two senators to represent its interests at the federal level. Senators serve six-year terms and are responsible for lawmaking, oversight, and constituent representation.
| Key Responsibilities Overview | |
|---|---|
| Legislative Duties | Draft, debate, and vote on federal laws. |
| Committee Work | Serve on Senate committees to review bills and policies. |
| Constituent Representation | Advocate for their state’s interests in Congress. |
| Federal Budget & Appropriations | Vote on government funding and spending bills. |
| Foreign Policy & Treaties | Ratify international treaties and confirm key appointments. |
| Government Oversight | Hold hearings and investigations on national issues. |
Performance grades are based on RateYourGov's independent, data-driven scoring model.
| Criteria | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| ⚖️ Legislative Impact Index | This grade is based on Legislative Effectiveness Score from the Center for Effective Lawmaking and shows how productive and influential a member is in writing and advancing legislation. |
| 🧭 Independence Index | The Independence Index grade tells you how much a member works across party lines and votes independently. It combines VoteView & GovTrack Ideology Score - how they’ve voted over time, who they sponsor bills with, and GovtRack Bipartisanship Score - how bipartisan they are. |
| 🤝 Constituent Services | This grade reflects how well a leader serves their constituents — from handling individual casework to being recognized for service excellence. It includes: Casework Reported any casework data is publicly reported, Volume of Casework, and CMF Award Winner - Constituent Service Award (e.g., from the Congressional Management Foundation). |
| 📜 Issues–Bill Alignment | This grade measures how well a member’s actions align with their publicly stated priorities — such as those found on their official website. We track Bills they sponsor, the volume, and compare them against their stated issue priorities. A higher grade means they’re actively working on the issues they claim to care about. |
| 🎓 Overall Grade – Senator | The grade reflects a member’s performance in office — including lawmaking, independence, service to constituents, verified resident ratings (with higher value placed on member's state), and leadership roles. It’s built to measure not just popularity, but effectiveness, accountability, and trust. |
Not every responsibility or decision made by a U.S. Senator can be fully captured through data alone. Grades only tell part of the story — but leadership in Congress, legislative priorities, collaboration, public trust, and ethical behavior often require deeper perspective. That’s why we include structured feedback from verified constituents, policy analysts, and congressional insiders — to fill in the gaps and provide a more accurate, well-rounded grade.
Once the RateYourGov mobile app is released, verified residents will be able to rate leaders — and those ratings will help shape the final grades in real time.
| Criteria | What It Captures From Verfified Citizens |
|---|---|
| 👤 Leadership & Integrity | This rating reflects whether the member leads with integrity and real impact — showing honesty, taking principled stands, and playing a key role in advancing legislation or priorities that matter to their constituents and the nation. |
| 🤝 Constituent Services | This rating reflects how responsive and helpful the member is to people in their community — whether through casework, solving problems, or offering direct support. |
| 📢 Communication & Accessibility | This rating reflects how well the member communicates their views and stays accessible — by holding events, posting updates, and engaging openly with the people they represent. |
| 🔍 Public Trust & Transparency | This rating reflects whether the member earns the public’s trust — by acting ethically, avoiding corruption or self-interest, and being open and honest about their work and decisions. |
| ⭐ Residents & Insider Ratings | These are weighted averages, giving more weight to feedback from insiders and verified voters in the member’s home state. |
A U.S. House Representative is an elected official who serves in the House of Representatives, one of the two chambers of Congress. Each Representative serves a two-year term, representing a specific congressional district within their state. Their primary responsibility is to introduce, debate, and vote on legislation that affects their constituents and the nation.
| Key Responsibilities Overview | |
|---|---|
| Legislative Duties | Draft, debate, and vote on federal legislation. |
| Committee Work | Participate in House committees to review and refine policies.. |
| Constituent Representation | Advocate for the needs and interests of their district. |
| Federal Budget & Appropriations | Influence government funding and spending decisions. |
| Government Oversight | Hold the executive branch accountable through hearings and investigations. |
| Local Engagement | Communicate with constituents through town halls, public forums, and services. |
Performance grades are based on RateYourGov's independent, data-driven scoring model.
| Criteria | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| ⚖️ Legislative Impact Index | This grade is based on Legislative Effectiveness Score from the Center for Effective Lawmaking and shows how productive and influential a member is in writing and advancing legislation. |
| 🧭 Independence Index | The Independence Index grade tells you how much a member works across party lines and votes independently. It combines VoteView & GovTrack Ideology Score - how they’ve voted over time, who they sponsor bills with, and GovtRack Bipartisanship Score - how bipartisan they are. |
| 🤝 Constituent Services | This grade reflects how well a leader serves their constituents — from handling individual casework to being recognized for service excellence. It includes: Casework Reported any casework data is publicly reported, Volume of Casework, and CMF Award Winner - Constituent Service Award (e.g., from the Congressional Management Foundation). |
| 📜 Issues–Bill Alignment | This grade measures how well a member’s actions align with their publicly stated priorities — such as those found on their official website. We track Bills they sponsor, the volume, and compare them against their stated issue priorities. A higher grade means they’re actively working on the issues they claim to care about. |
| 🎓 Overall Grade – Representative | The grade reflects a member’s performance in office — including lawmaking, independence, service to constituents, verified resident ratings (with higher value placed on member's district), and leadership roles. It’s built to measure not just popularity, but effectiveness, accountability, and trust. |
Not every responsibility or decision made by a U.S. Representative can be fully captured through data alone. Grades only tell part of the story — but district-level leadership, legislative activity, responsiveness to constituents, and public trust often require deeper insight. That’s why we include structured feedback from verified constituents, legislative experts, and insiders with firsthand experience — to complete a more accurate, well-rounded grade.
Once the RateYourGov mobile app is released, verified residents will be able to rate leaders — and those ratings will help shape the final grades in real time.
| Criteria | What It Captures From Verfified Citizens |
|---|---|
| 👤 Leadership & Integrity | This rating reflects whether the member leads with integrity and real impact — showing honesty, taking principled stands, and playing a key role in advancing legislation or priorities that matter to their constituents and the nation. |
| 🤝 Constituent Services | This rating reflects how responsive and helpful the member is to people in their community — whether through casework, solving problems, or offering direct support. |
| 📢 Communication & Accessibility | This rating reflects how well the member communicates their views and stays accessible — by holding events, posting updates, and engaging openly with the people they represent. |
| 🔍 Public Trust & Transparency | This rating reflects whether the member earns the public’s trust — by acting ethically, avoiding corruption or self-interest, and being open and honest about their work and decisions. |
| ⭐ Residents & Insider Ratings | These are weighted averages, giving more weight to feedback from insiders and verified voters in the member’s home state. |
A State Governor is the chief executive officer of a U.S. state, responsible for overseeing state government operations, implementing laws, and ensuring the well-being of residents. Governors serve four-year terms (in most states) and act as the head of the executive branch, managing public policy, state agencies, and budgets while responding to crises and emergencies.
| Key Responsibilities Overview | |
|---|---|
| State Budget Management | Develop and oversee the allocation of the state budget. |
| Legislative Leadership | Approving, vetoing, or amending state legislation and issuing executive orders when necessary. |
| Public Safety & Crisis Response | Manage law enforcement, disaster response, and emergency preparedness. |
| Economic Development & Job Creation | Promote business growth, investments, and employment opportunities. |
| Education & Healthcare Oversight | Direct policies affecting public schools, universities, Medicaid, and public health. |
| Infrastructure & Transportation | Oversee state-funded infrastructure projects and transit systems. |
| State Agency Oversight | Ensure that state departments and agencies operate efficiently and effectively. |
Performance grades are based on RateYourGov's independent, data-driven scoring model.
| Criteria | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| 💼 Jobs & Economy | This grade reflects how the governor supported economic growth and workforce strength. It includes Job Growth (nonfarm employment), Unemployment Rate, Labor Force Participation, and state GDP performance, benchmarked against national trends. Together, these indicators provide a snapshot of job market health and overall economic performance during their term. |
| 💸 Affordability | Captures how affordable life became under the Governor’s leadership. It factors in: Regional Inflation, Cost-Adjusted Median Income, and Uninsured Rates benchmarked against national trends. This tracks cost of living trends in the state. |
| 🟰 Equity & Access | Measures how well the state expanded opportunity and reduced disparities. It includes: Poverty Rate, Income Inequality, and with Bachelor’s Degree or Higher benchmarked against national trends. This grade reflects progress in health, education, and economic inclusion. |
| 📊 Fiscal Stability | Evaluates how responsibly the Governor managed the state’s finances. Surplus/deficit changes and state's rainy day fund are used to measure long-term fiscal health of state. |
| 🎓 Overall Grade – Governor | This grade reflects how well the Governor led the state — across jobs, affordability, equity, and fiscal stability — and includes how verified citizens from the state rated them. Each category is compared to national trends to see if the state kept pace, led the way, or fell behind. |
Not every responsibility or decision made by a Governor can be fully captured through data alone. Grades only tell part of the story — but lived experience, leadership during state-level crises, policy implementation, public trust, and ethical governance often require deeper insight. That’s why we include structured feedback from verified residents and insiders who’ve worked closely with government — to fill in the gaps and provide a more complete, well-rounded grade.
Once the RateYourGov mobile app is released, verified residents will be able to rate leaders — and those ratings will help shape the final grades in real time.
| Criteria | What It Captures From Verfified Citizens |
|---|---|
| 👤 Leadership & Crisis Management | This rating reflects the governor’s overall leadership — their vision, decision-making under pressure, ability to mobilize resources, and inspire public confidence, especially during state emergencies or high-stakes challenges. |
| ⚖️ Legislative Effectiveness | This rating reflects how well the governor collaborates with lawmakers to pass impactful legislation — turning ideas into action and building bridges across party lines when needed. |
| 📢 Communication & Accessibility | This rating reflects the governor’s ability to stay connected with the people — whether they explain their decisions clearly, engage with citizens, and respond to the state’s concerns in a timely way. |
| 🔍 Public Trust & Transparency | This rating is about honesty, accountability, and transparency — whether the governor earns your trust and puts the public’s interest above politics or personal gain. |
| ⭐ Residents & Insider Ratings | Weighted average ratings, with greater weight given to insider and verified voter feedback from the Governor's state |
Only ratings from verified residents count. Your vote won’t get drowned out by bots or noise — your feedback can raise or lower a leader’s grade.
Demographic and equity-related metrics are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS).
Legislative bill data, bill summaries, and vote information are partially sourced from the Congress.gov API, provided by the Library of Congress. Accessed 2025.
Volden, Craig, and Alan E. Wiseman. 2014. Legislative Effectiveness in the United States Congress: The Lawmakers. New York: Cambridge University Press; updated at www.thelawmakers.org.
Volden, Craig, and Alan E. Wiseman. 2018. “Legislative Effectiveness in the United States Senate,” Journal of Politics 80(2): 731–735; updated at www.thelawmakers.org.
Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2021). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com.
Additional data sources include the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, and the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO).
Congressional ideology and bipartisanship scores sourced from GovTrack.us. Accessed 2025.