California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress

California lawmaker Aisha Wahab won a special election on Thursday to fill the remainder of former Rep. Eric Swalwell's House term, which concludes in January. Swalwell, a Democrat eyeing the governorship, vacated his position in April following accusations of sexual assault and harassment, which he has denied. Wahab outpaced Bay Area Rapid Transit Director Melissa Hernandez in the special election within California's 14th Congressional District, encompassing areas of Alameda County on the eastern edge of San Francisco Bay.

Notably, Wahab is the first Afghan American to hold public office in the United States, having secured a Hayward City Council seat in 2018. She is set to become the first Afghan American to serve in Congress. The special election's outcome coincides with ongoing investigations into the sexual assault allegations against Swalwell.

Federal agents recently seized electronic devices from him at San Francisco's airport and searched his Washington D.C. home, according to an informed source. Following the conclusion of the race, Wahab and Hernandez will face off again in a November election to decide who will serve the next two-year term. In the June primary, Wahab won decisively, but she has faced significant financial backing from groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which funneled millions into supporting Hernandez and against Wahab.