Hayward, California — State Sen. Aisha Wahab won Thursday’s special election for California’s 14th Congressional District, becoming the first Afghan American elected to Congress and filling the seat vacated by former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Wahab defeated Bay Area Rapid Transit Director Melissa Hernandez with roughly 53% of the vote to Hernandez’s 47% with about 95% counted. The district covers parts of Alameda County in the East Bay and strongly favors Democrats.
The progressive Democrat previously became the first Afghan American elected to public office in the United States when she won a Hayward City Council seat in 2018. She later joined the California Senate, where housing affordability and tenant protections became central issues.
The race drew substantial outside spending. AIPAC-affiliated United Democracy Project spent about $2.5 million supporting Hernandez, according to Reuters, while other groups also spent heavily in the contest. Wahab had previously said she considers Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide, while Hernandez took a more moderate position.
Swalwell resigned in April after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced, which he denies. Federal agents recently seized his electronic devices as part of an ongoing investigation.
Wahab and Hernandez will face each other again in November for a full two-year House term.
Sources
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