Maxine WatersIncumbent
Candidate for U.S. Representative, Congressional District 43
Maxine Waters was born in 1938. Her birthplace was St. Louis, Missouri. She later moved to Los Angeles. She earned a degree there. It was a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. It came from California State University, Los Angeles, in 1971. Before politics, she was a teacher. She was also a Head Start program coordinator. She served 14 years in the California State Assembly. That was from 1976 to 1990. She was elected to the U.S. House in 1990. She has represented Los Angeles-area districts ever since. She has held California's 43rd District since it was redrawn in 2013. She was the first woman to chair the House Financial Services Committee. She was also the first African American to chair it. She chaired it from 2019 to 2023. She has been the committee's ranking member since 2023. She is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus. In 2026, she advanced from the June 2 top-two primary. She won 63.8% of the vote (75,693 votes). She faces Republican Cristian Morales. The general election is November 3, 2026. Born 1938. Home: Los Angeles, California. Occupation: U.S. Representative, incumbent. She was once a teacher. She was also a Head Start coordinator. Prior office: incumbent since 1991. Her current CA-43 seat dates to 2013. She earlier served in the California State Assembly. That was District 48, from 1976 to 1990.
On the issues
- Economy & Jobs
Supports raising the minimum wage and has a strong pro-labor/pro-union voting record.
Source → - Taxes & Cost of Living
Opposes extending broad tax cuts for high earners and has supported raising the estate tax to increase federal revenue.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Supports expanding public health coverage, describing health care as a right rather than a privilege.
Source → - Immigration & Border
Has supported pathways to legal status for undocumented immigrants (e.g., via military service) and opposed border-fence construction.
Source → - Reproductive & Social Issues
Supports access to legal abortion without restrictions and has opposed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
Source → - Education & Schools
Supports public education and opposes school voucher programs directing public funds to private/religious schools.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Supports stronger federal gun-safety measures, including universal background checks.
Source → - Criminal Justice & Courts
Supports reducing mass incarceration and recidivism, and has favored legalizing medical marijuana.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Supports aggressive federal climate action, including the Green New Deal framework, and opposes oil drilling in protected areas like ANWR.
Source → - Foreign Policy & Defense
Has opposed U.S. military intervention such as the 2002 Iraq War authorization and has supported human-rights-related foreign policy measures.
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
Has supported banning congressional stock trading based on insider knowledge, campaign finance reforms limiting soft money, and automatic voter registration.
Source → - Technology & Privacy
Supports net neutrality protections and has opposed retroactive legal immunity for telecom companies involved in warrantless government surveillance.
Source →
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