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

California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress 1 of 4 | State Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Democratic candidate for Congress in California’s 14th district, speaks during a primary election night event on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Hayward, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) 2 of 4 | State Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Democratic candidate for Congress in California’s 14th district, speaks during a primary election night event on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Hayward, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) 3 of 4 | State Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Democratic candidate for Congress in California’s 14th district, speaks during a primary election night event on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Hayward, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) 4 of 4 | FYI - Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., talks with reporters after holding a town hall meeting in Sacramento, Calif., April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) By SOPHIE AUSTIN Updated 1:56 AM MESZ, August 21, 2026 Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California state Sen. Aisha Wahab will serve out the rest of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s term after securing victory Thursday in a special election. Swalwell, a Democrat who was running for California governor, ended his campaign and resigned from Congress in April after he was accused of sexual assault and harassment, which he denies. Wahab will represent the state’s 14th Congressional District, which covers parts of Alameda County on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, through Swalwell’s term ending in January. She will be the first Afghan American to serve in Congress. The progressive Democrat defeated Bay Area Rapid Transit Director Melissa Hernandez even after a swell of spending by outside groups opposing Wahab in the race’s final stretch. She said her victory shows her district “cannot be bought.” “I will fight for this district that raised me,” Wahab said in a statement. “From foster care to Congress, this journey shows the possibility of the American Dream.” Hernandez’s campaign didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The conclusion of the race to replace Swalwell comes as criminal investigations continue into the sexual assault allegations he faces. Over the weekend, federal agents seized electronic devices from Swalwell at the San Francisco airport and later searched his home in Washington, D.C., according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Swalwell’s attorney did not immediately respond to an email and phone message seeking comment. Wahab became the first Afghan American elected to public office in the U.S. when she won a Hayward City Council seat in 2018. AP Decision Notes: What to expect in California’s special congressional election 3 MIN READ 201 Republican Hilton tells Californians they can hate Trump but still vote for him in governor’s race 4 MIN READ Sen. Sullivan, former congresswoman Peltola will face off for Alaska US Senate seat in November 4 MIN READ She has championed housing affordability and access in her time in the Legislature and throughout her campaign. She also wrote a bill in 2023 to ban caste-based discrimination, which garnered national attention. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed it, saying such discrimination is already outlawed by civil rights protections. Wahab and Hernandez will face off again in a separate November election determining who will serve the next full two-year term. This is our AP Ground Game newsletter. You can subscribe below and we will email it you 3 times per week. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google and Terms of Service apply. Wahab won the June primary decisively, but she faced aggressive efforts to boost her rival ahead of the general. Groups affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, poured millions into supporting Hernandez, and thousands into opposing Wahab. Associated Press reporter Alanna Durkin Richer contributed from Washington. SOPHIE AUSTIN Austin covers California state government and politics for the Associated Press. She reports on environmental, education and reparations policies. twitter mailto