Democratic California state legislator Wahab wins US House of Representatives seat

State Senator Aisha Wahab is projected to win a special election for California's 14th Congressional District, marking a historic moment as she is set to become the first Afghan American member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Democratic candidate secured over 53 percent of the vote, with 95 percent of ballots tallied, defeating fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez, who garnered about 47 percent.

Wahab will fill the seat previously held by Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denied. Her victory will bring the Democratic party's seat count in the House to 213, while Republicans hold 218. The district, located near San Francisco and San Jose, is considered solidly Democratic.

This win adds to Wahab's previous achievements as the first Muslim woman and Afghan American elected to the California state legislature. She has focused her platform on reducing inequality and previously authored a bill to ban caste discrimination, which was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023.

Wahab and Hernandez are slated to compete again in November for the full two-year term of the congressional seat. The special election outcome was influenced by significant spending, with the United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with the pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee, reportedly spending nearly $2.5 million to support Hernandez.