Two Democratic candidates have locked in their spots for a special general election in California, competing to complete the remaining term of former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, who stepped down from Congress after facing sexual assault and misconduct allegations.
State Sen. Aisha Wahab and Melissa Hernandez, a director with Bay Area Rapid Transit, earned the most votes Thursday from a large pool of Democratic and Republican candidates, earning their places in the August 18 special general election.
While Wahab held the lead in vote totals, Hernandez outlined her strategy going forward, saying her path to August involves “digging into the numbers, and going out to those areas where we know that we can secure votes.”
“I connect to voters, and that’s one thing that is definitely different than my opponent,” Hernandez added, emphasizing her focus on reducing costs for lower- and middle-class families. “We’re going to fight the good fight.”
The winner of the August special election will hold Swalwell’s seat through January, at which point the victor of the November regular general election will take over for a full two-year term. Notably, both Wahab and Hernandez also claimed the top two positions in the regular June 2 primary, meaning they are simultaneously competing in two separate races for California’s 14th Congressional District — a region that covers East Bay communities including Fremont, Hayward, and Livermore.
Republican candidates faced a steep climb in the heavily Democratic district. The third-highest vote-getter in the special election was also a Democrat — businesswoman and attorney Rakhi Israni Singh — who finished just behind Hernandez.
Whichever candidate prevails in August will likely gain a visibility advantage and several months of congressional experience to draw on during the November campaign.
Wahab, who serves as the Senate’s assistant majority leader and is a well-known figure in California politics, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. Her campaign platform leans progressive, highlighting her record in office — including expanding social safety net programs, strengthening renter protections, championing social justice causes, and working to reduce red tape for small businesses.
Hernandez, a former mayor of the East Bay city of Dublin, has promoted many of the same goals but with a stronger emphasis on business-friendly policies. She has said she would “prioritize growing small businesses” to help lower costs, push for housing incentives, and work to reduce health insurance premiums by restoring insurance subsidies.
One of the two women will ultimately succeed Swalwell, who served seven terms in Congress before resigning in April and withdrawing from the California governor’s race. His departure followed a San Francisco Chronicle report alleging he sexually assaulted a woman on two separate occasions, including while she was employed by him. CNN subsequently reported that additional women accused him of sending inappropriate messages and explicit photos.
Swalwell, a Democrat, has consistently denied all of the allegations but stated that remaining in Congress would be unfair to the people he represented.
