Upset Brief · KY-03 · Maria Rodriguez (R) vs. Morgan McGarvey (D), incumbent
A long shot on the math: it takes a 22.1-point national wave.
<1%
odds today
<1%
odds with the plan
69,249
net votes to find
37
days left; voting starts October 29
Where
- 01+98Precinct 160 48 District (Jefferson County)Starting line Rodriguez +2. 9.9% split their ticket.
- 02+89Precinct 173 48 District (Jefferson County)Starting line McGarvey +15. 11.6% split their ticket.
- 03+83Precinct 133 37 District (Jefferson County)Starting line Rodriguez +27. 13.4% split their ticket. About 283 more ballots in 2024 than in 2022 (estimate).
- 04+79Precinct 191 29 District (Jefferson County)Starting line Rodriguez +8. 11.5% split their ticket.
- 05+78Precinct 159 29 District (Jefferson County)Starting line McGarvey +2. 9.4% split their ticket.
- 06+67Precinct 145 46 District (Jefferson County)Starting line McGarvey +10. 11.7% split their ticket.
The top 12 precincts carry 7% of the plan.
How
- P+11,236Persuade11,236 voters who split their ticket in recent elections and lean McGarvey today.
- M+258MobilizeAt least 3,723 people who voted in 2024 but not in 2022, in precincts where Rodriguez's side wins at least 55 percent.
- C+123ConsolidateVoters who went third party in recent races, in the precincts that lean Rodriguez's way.
Plus a national shift of 22.1 points of margin (57,631 votes) that no campaign controls.
What has to be true
- Rodriguez wins 50 percent of the ticket splitters now leaning McGarvey.
- In Precinct 133 37 District (Jefferson County), 35 percent of the people who voted in 2024 but skipped 2022 come back and vote.
- The national environment moves about 22.1 points toward Rodriguez'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 regression580 precincts, R² 0.989, 111 crossover precincts identified
- 02Monte Carlo20,000 seeded simulated elections with a 7-point baseline error. 90% range of the final margin with the plan: -88,489 to -27,053 votes.
- 03Money, FEC candidate totals through June 30Rodriguez $15,672 cash on hand; McGarvey $1,813,760.
- 04Call program for this list18,318 households, 54,953 dials, about 2,880 live conversations: an estimated $6,809 at published rates.
Independent analysis by The Political Group from official Kentucky State Board of Elections precinct returns (2022 through 2024), FEC filings and published polls, as of September 26, 2026. Not affiliated with any candidate or party.