Progressive wins special election to fill Swalwell's California House seat

In a recent special election, California state Senator Aisha Wahab has been projected to win the remainder of former Rep. Eric Swalwell's term, covering California's 14th Congressional District until January 2027. Wahab surpassed her opponent, Bay Area Rapid Transit Director Melissa Hernandez, in the race, as vote counts continued to pour in from Alameda County.

The election drew significant attention from outside groups, including the pro-Israel lobbying organization American Israel Public Affairs Committee-backed super PAC United Democracy Project. This group spent $1.2 million in support of Hernandez and against Wahab, while other outside groups contributed over $4 million to the race, with approximately $3.7 million directed towards Hernandez.

Wahab expressed her pride in her district despite the overwhelming influx of outside money, emphasizing her victory is based on truth and not false rhetoric or narratives. She will face another election in November to decide who will serve the full term, with the same candidates on the ballot. The 14th District, which includes 26,000 more voters than previously, saw a 20-point gap in favor of Hernandez during early voting and vote-by-mail, which begins on Oct.

5, with Election Day set for Nov. 3. Wahab previously represented the 10th District in the California Senate since 2022, covering parts of East Bay Area and Silicon Valley.