Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Aisha Wahab Wins California House Special Election Seat
Aisha Wahab won a special election for a vacant seat in the U.S. House.
She is a Democrat from California.
The seat became open after Eric Swalwell resigned.
Wahab received just over half of the counted votes.
Melissa Hernandez came in second and is also a Democrat.
Wahab would be the first Afghan American member of Congress.
The two candidates will compete again in November.
That election will decide who serves a full two-year term.
Democrat Aisha Wahab was projected to win a special election for California’s vacant U.S. House seat.
With 95% of votes counted, Wahab had more than 53% and Melissa Hernandez about 47%.
Wahab would become the first Afghan American member of the U.S. Congress.
The seat was vacated by Democrat Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April amid allegations he denied.
Wahab and Hernandez will face each other again in November for a full two-year term.
- Who
- California state Senator Aisha Wahab defeated fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez.
- What
- Wahab was projected to win a special election for a vacant U.S. House seat.
- When
- The result was reported on August 20; Wahab and Hernandez will compete again in November.
- Where
- The solidly Democratic district is near San Francisco and San Jose, California.
- Why
- The seat became vacant after Representative Eric Swalwell resigned in April.
Wahab and progressive supporters
Hernandez and her outside supporters
Candidate and policy direction
Wahab and progressive supporters
Wahab campaigned as a progressive state lawmaker focused on reducing inequality and had sponsored a proposed explicit ban on caste discrimination.
Hernandez and her outside supporters
Hernandez, an official with the San Francisco Bay Area mass transit system, received support from United Democracy Project, a pro-Israel super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Israel-related Democratic tensions
Wahab and progressive supporters
The article describes progressive Democrats as increasingly critical of U.S. support for Israel, especially regarding attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.
Hernandez and her outside supporters
United Democracy Project spent nearly $2.5 million to boost Hernandez, making the race part of wider intra-party disputes over candidates’ positions on Israel.
- Projected winner
- Aisha Wahab
- Vote count reported
- Wahab had over 53% and Melissa Hernandez about 47%, with 95% of votes tallied.
- House balance after Wahab is sworn in
- Democrats would hold 213 seats and Republicans 218.
- Historic distinction
- Wahab would be the first Afghan American member of the U.S. Congress.
- Next election
- Wahab and Hernandez will face each other again in November for a full two-year term.
- Campaign spending
- United Democracy Project reportedly spent nearly $2.5 million since early August to support Hernandez.
- Caste-discrimination bill
- Wahab authored a bill that would have explicitly banned caste discrimination in California; Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed it in 2023.