State Senator Aisha Wahab won California’s 14th Congressional District special election on August 18, defeating Melissa Hernandez in a narrow runoff to fill the seat vacated by Eric Swalwell. Wahab secured 51% of the vote to Hernandez’s 49%, a margin of fewer than 2,000 votes, according to election results.
The special election was called after Swalwell, a seven-term Democratic congressman, resigned from Congress on April 14, 2026, following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. The San Francisco Chronicle and CNN had reported the allegations, and facing mounting pressure from party leadership, Swalwell announced his departure and dropped his bid for California governor.
Wahab, who represents California State Senate District 10, advanced to the special runoff as the top vote-getter in the June primary with 42.8% of the vote, far ahead of Hernandez’s 16.8%. The 14th District, which includes East Bay cities such as Fremont, Hayward, and Livermore, is a solidly Democratic seat. Hernandez, a Bay Area transportation official and former Dublin mayor, finished second in the primary.
The race drew intense outside spending in its final weeks. AIPAC’s super PAC, the United Democracy Project, spent nearly $2.5 million to support Hernandez starting in August, according to the Washington Post. The spending reflected a broader pattern across the country, where the pro-Israel lobby has poured resources into congressional races to support candidates favorable to Israel and oppose those critical of Israeli policy.
Wahab made history in 2018 when she became the first Afghan-American woman elected to public office in the United States, winning a seat on the Hayward City Council. She has held a doctorate in social work from USC and has worked in information technology, finance, and political campaigning. As a state senator, she has served as the California Democratic Party’s Assistant Majority Leader.
Wahab and Hernandez will face each other again in the November general election for a full two-year term. The winner of Tuesday’s special runoff will serve the remainder of Swalwell’s term until January 2027. Because California uses a nonpartisan primary system where the top two vote-getters advance regardless of party affiliation, both candidates qualified for the November ballot during the June primary.
Sources
- The Washington Post — election results, outside spending details, and Swalwell’s resignation context
- Ballotpedia — primary election results and runoff details
- Wikipedia — Wahab’s background and state senate service
- California State Senate District 10 official biography — Wahab’s career and historic election
