Democratic State Senator Aisha Wahab Wins California Special Election
State Senator Aisha Wahab defeated fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez in a special election to complete the term of former Rep. Eric Swalwell in California’s 14th district.
State Senator Aisha Wahab secured victory in the special election for California’s 14th congressional district, filling the seat vacated by Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April. Wahab and Bay Area Rapid Transit board member Melissa Hernandez, both Democrats, advanced from the June 16 primary, where Wahab received 43% of the vote and Hernandez 17%. In the runoff, Wahab led with 53% of the counted votes against Hernandez’s 47%.
The race attracted significant outside spending, with a super PAC linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spending roughly $2.5 million in the final weeks to oppose Wahab. Wahab has publicly described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, a stance highlighted on her campaign website, while Hernandez was the only candidate who did not affirm that characterization when questioned at an April forum.
The outcome reflects ongoing influence of pro-Israel political spending, which has previously helped House candidates win contests in several states.