đź•’ Created · Updated

Aisha Wahab and Melissa Hernandez Compete in California Special Election to Fill Vacancy Left by Eric Swalwell

Aisha Wahab and Melissa Hernandez are competing in a special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by the resignation of former Representative Eric Swalwell. The race serves as a primary for the November general election, where the two Democrats will face each other again for a full term. Wahab, a progressive state senator, has been the frontrunner in previous primary rounds, leading Hernandez, a moderate Democrat and BART Board President, in both the June 2 regular primary and the June 16 special primary. However, Hernandez has utilized significant outside spending, particularly from groups aligned with AIPAC, to narrow the performance gap. The candidates offer contrasting approaches to immigration. Wahab focuses on cracking down on ICE, while Hernandez supports smart border security and regional cooperation. The special election will determine who will immediately fill the seat for the remainder of the term, while the November contest will determine the winner of a full two-year term under California's new congressional map.

Sources