Upset Brief · CA-43 · Cristian Morales (R) vs. Maxine Waters (D), incumbent
A long shot on the math: it takes a 50.0-point national wave.
0%
odds today
0%
odds with the plan
65,485
net votes to find
37
days left; voting starts October 5
Where
- 01+342Los AngelesStarting line Waters +61. 3.7% split their ticket.
- 02+331InglewoodStarting line Waters +72. 2.7% split their ticket.
- 03+290Unincorporated Los Angeles CountyStarting line Waters +56. 2.5% split their ticket.
- 04+235ComptonStarting line Waters +63. 3.7% split their ticket.
- 05+217TorranceStarting line Waters +18. 1.8% split their ticket.
- 06+165HawthorneStarting line Waters +47. 2.0% split their ticket.
The top 8 cities and unincorporated areas carry 100% of the plan.
How
- P+1,558Persuade1,558 voters who split their ticket in recent elections and lean Waters today.
- M+0MobilizeThere are almost no cities and unincorporated areas Morales's side carries, so turnout alone cannot help here.
- C+144ConsolidateVoters who went third party in recent races, in the cities and unincorporated areas that lean Morales's way.
Plus a national shift of 50 points of margin (63,783 votes) that no campaign controls.
What has to be true
- Morales wins 50 percent of the ticket splitters now leaning Waters.
- The national environment moves about 50.0 points toward Morales's side between now and November 3.
- No 2026 public poll exists for this race, so the starting line is a weighted blend of official recent results; the first real poll will move it.
The numbers behind it
- 01Crossover regression249 precincts, R² 0.983, 86 crossover precincts identified
- 02Monte Carlo20,000 seeded simulated elections with a 7-point baseline error. 90% range of the final margin with the plan: -78,455 to -49,120 votes.
- 03Money, FEC candidate totals through June 30Morales no FEC totals reported; Waters $269,669.
- 04Call program for this list2,433 households, 7,300 dials, about 383 live conversations: an estimated $1,509 at published rates.
Independent analysis by The Political Group from official California Secretary of State precinct returns (2022 and 2024), FEC filings and published polls, as of September 26, 2026. Not affiliated with any candidate or party.