Wahab beats fellow Democrat in heated race for Swalwell’s House seat

Rep. Aisha Wahab (D-Calif.) is projected to win a full term representing California’s 14th District after Tuesday’s rematch against fellow Democratic candidate Melissa Hernandez, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

Wahab’s victory comes just months after she beat Hernandez in August in a special election to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.). The embattled lawmaker resigned in April amid sexual misconduct allegations , which he has denied.

The race became an expensive and increasingly bitter battle between the two Democrats, drawing millions in outside spending from groups — including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee seeking to influence the party’s direction.

DDHQ had rated the district as “safely Democratic” ahead of Election Day, though the forecast does not distinguish between the candidates.

Wahab, the first Afghan American elected to Congress, previously served in the California state Senate and on the Hayward City Council. She campaigned on housing affordability, public safety and her record in Sacramento, Calif.

Hernandez, the former mayor of the town of Dublin and Bay Area Rapid Transit board president, also emphasized public safety and the economy while questioning the other candidate’s record.

Their rivalry intensified during an October debate when Hernandez accused her opponent of communicating with the Taliban, which Wahab condemned as a racist attack. She later defended the rhetoric as merely criticism of her fellow Democrat’s position on diplomacy with Afghanistan.

Wahab secured high-profile endorsements from California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the California Democratic Party and several labor organizations.