Aisha Wahab Wins California Special Election for Congress

State Sen. Aisha Wahab has won a special election to fill the vacant congressional seat of former Rep. Eric Swalwell, becoming the first Afghan American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The Associated Press called the race on Thursday, August 20, 2026, after the latest results showed Wahab leading fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez, 53% to 47%, in California's 14th Congressional District.

The victory allows Wahab to serve out the remainder of Swalwell's term, which ends in January 2027. Swalwell, a Democrat, resigned from Congress in April amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied. He also suspended his campaign for California governor at the same time.

Wahab, a progressive state senator, entered the runoff with a significant advantage after defeating Hernandez by 26 percentage points in the June 16 primary. However, the race tightened dramatically in the weeks leading up to the August 18 runoff, fueled by millions of dollars in outside spending. Groups affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, spent heavily to support Hernandez and attack Wahab. United Democracy Project, AIPAC's super PAC, spent nearly $2.5 million,...