Skip to content
elect.link
Latest
Allupdates
D Democratic · Incumbent · U.S. House 43, California · Nov 3, 2026

Maxine
Waters

Maxine Waters is a Democratic U.S. Representative from California's 43rd District, serving since 1991 and currently in her seventeenth term.

Researched checked 6 d ago
sources
17
positions
11
endorsements
8
waters.house.gov ↗(opens in a new tab) X(opens in a new tab)Facebook(opens in a new tab)Instagram(opens in a new tab)
Opponent Cristian Morales R Compare race →

Background

Maxine Waters is a Democratic U.S. Representative serving California's 43rd Congressional District. She has served in the House of Representatives since 1991 and was re-elected in November 2022 to her seventeenth term, according to her official House biography and Congress.gov. 1211

Before her congressional career, Waters served in the California State Assembly from 1977 to 1991, where she became Democratic Caucus Chair. Prior to elected office, she worked in factories and segregated restaurants from age 13, and later in garment factories and at a telephone company after moving to Los Angeles; she began her public-service career as a teacher and Head Start volunteer coordinator. 12

Waters was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and graduated from Vashon High School there in 1956. She earned a B.A. from California State University, Los Angeles, in 1970. The House Clerk lists her hometown as Los Angeles. 212

At a glance

Party
Democratic · Incumbent
Running for
U.S. House · District 43, California
Election
Nov 3, 2026
Current office
U.S. Representative for California's 43rd Congressional District
Website
waters.house.gov(opens in a new tab)

Where they stand

Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.

Voting record

How Maxine Waters voted in Congress: 118th Congress (2023–24) and 119th Congress (2025–26), Jan 3, 2023 to Sep 16, 2026. From the official House and Senate roll call records.

roll call votes
1,909
missed
4.1%
with their party’s majority
97%

Recent key votes

  • Sep 16, 2026 · House · S2403 · Economy & jobs
    Retire through Ownership Act
    On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · Passed
    Official roll call ↗(opens in a new tab)
    Yes
  • Sep 16, 2026 · House · HR9497 · Climate & energy
    Water Resources Development Act
    On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · Passed
    Official roll call ↗(opens in a new tab)
    Yes
  • Sep 16, 2026 · House · HR9340 · Climate & energy
    Ratepayer Protection Act
    On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · Passed
    Official roll call ↗(opens in a new tab)
    Yes
  • Sep 16, 2026 · House · HJRES213 · Climate & energy
    Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to the “California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations; Notice of Decision”
    On Passage · Passed
    Official roll call ↗(opens in a new tab)
    No
  • Sep 16, 2026 · House · HR10326 · Crime & public safety
    PROOF Act
    On Passage · Passed
    Official roll call ↗(opens in a new tab)
    No
  • Sep 16, 2026 · House · HR9576 · Crime & public safety
    National Fraud Enforcement Division Act
    On Passage · Passed
    Official roll call ↗(opens in a new tab)
    Yes
  • Sep 15, 2026 · House · HJRES210 · Climate & energy
    Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth; Notice of Decision”
    On Passage · Passed
    Official roll call ↗(opens in a new tab)
    No
  • Sep 15, 2026 · House · HR9500 · Taxes & budget
    Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act
    On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · Passed
    Official roll call ↗(opens in a new tab)
    Yes

Key votes are final decisions on bills and joint resolutions, and top nominations. Software sorts each into an issue from its official title, so check the roll call. All 1,909 votes →

Timeline

  1. Date unknown
    filing
    Waters reports ~$864,000 raised and ~$270,000 cash on hand through June 30 filings

    A race-tracking site reported Waters had raised approximately $864,000 and held about $270,000 cash on hand based on FEC filings through June 30, 2026. An earlier tally through May 13 listed $733,764 raised and $323,043 cash on hand.

    CA-43: Waters >99 in 100 — Call the Map · Sep 20, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  2. Oct 9
    poll
    FutureBallot model gives Waters >99% chance of winning CA-43 with no district polls available

    FutureBallot's October 9 forecast model gave Waters a greater-than-99% chance of winning and estimated a Democratic margin of 52.4 points. The model explicitly noted there are no district-level polls for CA-43. Call the Map similarly described Waters as heavily favored.

    CA-43 2026 House forecast - FutureBallot · Oct 12, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  3. Oct 5
    news
    Waters outlines policy positions in Daily Breeze candidate questionnaire

    In a Daily Breeze questionnaire, Waters identified affordable housing as a major district issue and discussed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. She also called for privacy safeguards on license-plate-reader technology, supported Medicare for All and Medicaid expansion, backed AI disclosure rules for political content, and opposed expanded offshore oil drilling in California.

    Maxine Waters, CA-43 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire · Oct 5, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  4. Oct 1
    endorsement
    Waters receives endorsements from California Democratic Party, labor unions, Planned Parenthood, and others

    By October 1, Waters's listed supporters included the California Democratic Party, California Federation of Labor Unions, National Union of Healthcare Workers, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Sierra Club, California Environmental Voters, and the Stonewall Democratic Club. The Center Action Fund also listed her for CA-43 by October 5.

    2026 Midterm General Endorsements - Center Action Fund · Oct 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  5. Jun 2
    filing
    Waters wins CA-43 primary with 63.79%, advances to November general election

    Maxine Waters finished first in the June 2 primary with 63.79% (75,693 votes). Republican Cristian Morales also advanced with 16.86% (20,009 votes). The other Democratic candidates, Myla Rahman and David Sedlik, received 15.04% and 4.30% respectively.

    CA-43 2026 House forecast - FutureBallot · Oct 12, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

Endorsements

  • Equality California organization
    Identified as an endorser in a 2026 primary voter guide; no endorsement date given. ladefensa.org
  • Progressive Voters Network organization
    Identified as an endorser in the La Defensa 2026 primary voter guide; no endorsement date given. ladefensa.org
  • Los Angeles County Democratic Party organization
    Listed under 2026 General Election endorsements for California's 43rd Congressional District. lacdp.org
  • Los Angeles County Young Democrats organization
    Identified as an endorser in the La Defensa 2026 primary voter guide; no endorsement date given. ladefensa.org
  • Americans for Democratic Action, Southern California (ADA SoCal) organization
    Listed as an endorser of Waters for the November 3 general election; no separate endorsement date given. ivotela.org
  • ADA SoCal organization
    ADA SoCal endorses Maxine Waters for Congress for District 43 for the November 3, 2026 election; no separate announcement date given. adasocal.org
  • Center Action Fund organization
    2026 midterm general-endorsement list includes CA-43: Maxine Waters; page dated October 1, 2026 but no separate endorsement date displayed. centeractionfund.org
  • California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO union
    COPE endorsement recommendation from the pre-general-election convention in Oakland on August 4, 2026; listed as '43 Maxine Waters (D)'. calaborfed.org · Aug 4, 2026

Past elections

General election results for federal office, from the Federal Election Commission.

YearSeatResultVotesShare
2022U.S. House CA-43 · DWon95,46277.3%
2020U.S. House CA-43 · DWon199,21071.7%
2018U.S. House CA-43 · DWon152,27277.7%
2016U.S. House CA-43 · DWon167,01776.1%

Covers the 2016 to 2022 general elections. The FEC has not yet published 2024 congressional results.

Campaign finance

Totals filed with the Federal Election Commission for the 2026 election cycle.

Raised
$864K
Spent
$710K
Cash on hand
$270K

As of Jun 30, 2026. Filings are periodic, so recent money may not be included yet. ↳ FEC record H4CA23011(opens in a new tab)

Sources 17

  1. [1] CA-43 2026 House forecast - FutureBallot(opens in a new tab) Oct 12, 2026
  2. [2] Congress(opens in a new tab) Oct 11, 2026
  3. [3] U.S House of Representatives - ADA SoCal(opens in a new tab) Oct 8, 2026
  4. [4] Maxine Waters, CA-43 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire(opens in a new tab) Oct 5, 2026
  5. [5] Endorsed Candidates - Los Angeles County Democratic Party(opens in a new tab) Oct 4, 2026
  6. [6] 2026 Midterm General Endorsements - Center Action Fund(opens in a new tab) Oct 1, 2026
  7. [7] 2026 Primary Voter Guide P1 - La Defensa(opens in a new tab) Oct 1, 2026
  8. [8] CA-43: Waters >99 in 100 — Call the Map(opens in a new tab) Sep 20, 2026
  9. [9] S. 2938: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act -- House Vote #212 -- May 18, 2022(opens in a new tab) Aug 6, 2026
  10. [10] California Federation of Labor Unions(opens in a new tab) Aug 5, 2026
  11. [11] Congresswoman Maxine Waters Blasts Trump Administration ...(opens in a new tab) May 28, 2026
  12. [12] Maxine Waters, CA-43 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire(opens in a new tab) May 5, 2026
  13. [13] Economic Security(opens in a new tab) Aug 8, 2023
  14. [14] Foreign Affairs(opens in a new tab) Aug 8, 2023
  15. [15] Rep. Waters Tributes Black Lives Matter, Angela Davis, Colin Kaepernick, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson & Civil Rights Activists on House Floor(opens in a new tab) Jun 26, 2020
  16. [16] Rep. Waters’ Statement on Reports Suggesting President Trump will Withdraw the US from the Paris Climate Agreement(opens in a new tab) Jun 1, 2017
  17. [17] Congresswoman Maxine Waters Casts the Deciding Vote to Pass ...(opens in a new tab) Nov 9, 2009
Are you Maxine Waters?
Claim this page to add a statement to voters and correct your details.
Sign in to claim
elect.link

Candidate pages are assembled automatically from public web sources. Every claim links to where it came from. Nonpartisan; no endorsements. Candidates can claim their page to add a statement and corrections.