The fourth week of the 2026 Wash100 popular vote competition continued to build on the momentum seen in Week 3, with vote totals climbing steadily and several contenders improving their positions. While the top of the leaderboard remained tightly packed, notable upward movement in the top 15 and middle tier highlighted growing engagement across both government and industry leaders.
Who Maintained Control at the Top in Week 4?
For the fourth consecutive week, Hung Cao of the U.S. Department of the Navy held the No. 1 ranking, increasing his total votes to 2,163. His continued growth preserved a strong lead over the rest of the field.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio remained in second place, expanding his total to 1,476 votes, while Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard followed closely in third place with 1,471 votes.
A notable shift occurred just behind them. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem climbed into fourth place with 1,432 votes, narrowly edging out Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who rounded out the top five in fifth place with 1,431 votes. The one-vote margin between fourth and fifth underscored how tightly clustered the top tier had become.
Which Leaders Climbed the Rankings?
Week 4 saw several leaders make meaningful upward moves, particularly within the top 15.
Rohit Gupta of Aretum delivered one of the strongest climbs of the week, moving into the No. 10 position with 353 votes, a significant jump from his 14th-place standing in Week 3, when he held 256 votes. His surge pushed him into the top 10 for the first time.
DeEtte Gray of CACI also made a notable advance, rising into 15th place with 229 votes, up from 18th place and 192 votes in Week 3.
CGI Federal President Stephanie Mango continued her steady upward trajectory, climbing to 16th place with 218 votes, improving from 21st place the prior week.
Further movement occurred just behind them. John Phelan of the U.S. Department of the Navy ranked 17th with 216 votes, while Srini Attili of SAIC secured 18th place with 215 votes.
John Heneghan of ECS moved into 19th place with 210 votes, and CACI CEO John Mengucci claimed 20th place with 209 votes, both building on their Week 3 totals.
Several winners maintained their positions in the top 10. Gen. Dan Caine of the Joint Chiefs of Staff strengthened his hold on seventh place with 815 votes, while Kelly Loeffler of the Small Business Administration remained in eighth place with 467 votes, increasing from 451. Tang Pham of AT&T held ninth place with 395 votes, continuing his steady growth.
How Did the Middle and Lower Tiers Shape Up?
Several contenders continued to build momentum in the middle of the leaderboard.
Adel Al-Saleh of SES ranked 11th with 351 votes, up from 324 votes in Week 3, while Carey Smith of Parsons placed 12th with 301 votes.
Gen. Michael Guetlein of the U.S. Space Force secured 13th place with 292 votes, and DOW CIO Kirsten Davies ranked 14th with 283 votes, both improving their vote totals week over week.
In the lower tier, Hon. Michael Duffey of the Department of War held 21st place with 183 votes, followed by Matt Tait of ManTech in 22nd place with 156 votes.
Sonny Bhagowalia of DHS ranked 23rd with 151 votes, while La’Naia Jones of the CIA placed 24th with 137 votes. Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll secured 25th place with 127 votes.
Rounding out the standings, Lt. Gen. Michele Bredenkamp of NGA ranked 26th with 126 votes, Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd of the NSA followed in 27th place with 124 votes, and a three-way tie for 28th to 30th place included Harish Luthra of SAP NS2, Adm. Samuel Paparo of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Maria Demaree of Lockheed Martin, each with 117 votes.
Week 4 of the 2026 Wash100 popular vote competition demonstrated sustained engagement and increasingly competitive margins. While Hung Cao maintained a clear lead, the battle among the top five tightened further, and Rohit Gupta’s breakthrough into the top 10 highlighted how quickly momentum could reshape the standings. With vote totals continuing to rise across the board, the contest remained highly dynamic heading into Week 5.
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