Paul Tonko — U.S. Representative for NY-20
Paul Tonko is a Democrat Representative representing New York (district 20), serving a term from 2025-01-03 to 2027-01-03.
Overview
| Party | Democrat |
|---|---|
| Chamber | Representative |
| State | New York |
| District | NY-20 |
| Current term | 2025-01-03 – 2027-01-03 |
| Born | 1949-06-18 |
| Bioguide ID | T000469 |
Election & Term History
Paul Tonko has held 9 terms in Congress on record, first elected in 2009.
| Term | Office | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-06 – 2011-01-03 | U.S. Representative for NY-21 | Democrat |
| 2011-01-05 – 2013-01-03 | U.S. Representative for NY-21 | Democrat |
| 2013-01-03 – 2015-01-03 | U.S. Representative for NY-20 | Democrat |
| 2015-01-06 – 2017-01-03 | U.S. Representative for NY-20 | Democrat |
| 2017-01-03 – 2019-01-03 | U.S. Representative for NY-20 | Democrat |
| 2019-01-03 – 2021-01-03 | U.S. Representative for NY-20 | Democrat |
| 2021-01-03 – 2023-01-03 | U.S. Representative for NY-20 | Democrat |
| 2023-01-03 – 2025-01-03 | U.S. Representative for NY-20 | Democrat |
| 2025-01-03 – 2027-01-03 | U.S. Representative for NY-20 | Democrat |
Voting Record
In the 119th Congress, Paul Tonko has cast 542 recorded votes. Based on DW-NOMINATE ideology scoring (Voteview, UCLA) -- a standard academic measure derived from actual roll-call vote patterns, not self-description -- Paul Tonko is more liberal than 58% of House Democrats on the liberal-conservative spectrum this Congress.
| Ideology score (DW-NOMINATE, dim. 1) | -0.416 |
|---|---|
| Position within party | more liberal than 58% of House Democrats |
| Recorded votes this Congress | 542 |
| Votes with own party | 98.7% of contested roll-call votes |
| Missed votes | 9 of 643 (1.4%) |
Scale runs roughly -1 (most liberal) to +1 (most conservative); scores are relative rankings among the member's own chamber and party, not an absolute measure. "Votes with own party" compares each Yea/Nay vote to that party's majority position on the same roll call, for every recorded vote so far in the 119th Congress.
Frequently Asked Questions
What party is Paul Tonko in?
Paul Tonko is a Democrat, currently serving as U.S. Representative for NY-20.
How long has Paul Tonko served in Congress?
Paul Tonko's first term on record began in 2009, and their current term runs from 2025-01-03 to 2027-01-03.
How does Paul Tonko's voting record compare to the rest of their party?
Based on DW-NOMINATE ideology scoring (Voteview, UCLA), Paul Tonko is more liberal than 58% of House Democrats in the 119th Congress, having cast 542 recorded votes.
How often does Paul Tonko vote with their own party?
Paul Tonko has voted with the majority of their own party on 98.7% of contested roll-call votes so far in the 119th Congress, missing 9 of 643 recorded votes (1.4%).