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Democrats rally behind Aisha Wahab
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Aisha Wahab won California's 14th district special election, defeating BART Director Melissa Hernandez. Her victory signals progressive strength despite AIPAC's late spending.
Background
The special election was held to fill the remainder of former Rep. Eric Swalwell's term after he resigned in April amid sexual misconduct allegations. Wahab, a progressive state senator, faced a late spending blitz from AIPAC and its allies, who backed her opponent. Despite this, she won, becoming the first Afghan American in Congress.
How it unfolded
- Apr 2026Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned after sexual misconduct allegations; Gov. Newsom called a special election.
- Jun 16, 2026Primary: Wahab advanced with 42%, Hernandez with 16%.
- Aug 18, 2026Special general election held; Wahab led narrowly on election night.
- Aug 20, 2026AP called race for Wahab; she led 53% to 47% with over 6,000 vote margin.
Who’s saying what
- Progressive
- Wahab's win shows the district 'cannot be bought' and validates progressive resistance to AIPAC spending.
- AIPAC
- AIPAC spent heavily to defeat Wahab, but failed to block her, highlighting its influence in Democratic primaries.
Still unverified
Swalwell's sexual misconduct allegations are denied by him and not proven in court.