The race to fill former Representative Eric Swalwell’s vacant House seat in California’s 14th Congressional District is moving to a runoff, as no candidate secured more than 50 percent of the vote in the special primary held Thursday, according to projections from Decision Desk HQ.
State Senator Aisha Wahab and Bay Area transportation official Melissa Hernandez, both Democrats, emerged as the top two contenders. They will face off in a runoff election on August 18, with the winner serving out the remainder of Swalwell’s term through the end of the year.
Wahab led the field with roughly 43 percent of the vote, while Hernandez garnered about 17 percent. Democratic attorney Rakhi Israni Singh finished third with approximately 13 percent support. The two frontrunners are also set to compete in the November general election for a full two-year term, having both qualified via the state’s primary earlier this year. In that primary, Wahab took around 38 percent and Hernandez 17 percent, according to DDHQ.
Swalwell resigned from Congress in April following allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied. The former congressman also dropped out of the California gubernatorial race, where he had been considered the leading candidate.
Wahab, the first Afghan American woman elected to public office in the United States, currently serves as assistant majority leader in the California State Senate. Her campaign has focused on affordability and sustainability, issues that resonate in a district grappling with high living costs.
Hernandez, a former mayor of Dublin, California, has centered her platform on tackling rising housing costs and pushing for immigration reform. The two Democrats will now compete in a contest that could test the strength of progressive and moderate factions within the party.
The Progressive Caucus PAC, which backs left-leaning candidates for Congress, has endorsed Wahab in the special election. “Congratulations to @aishabbwahab on her continued momentum with a landslide 1st place finish in the #CA14 special primary!” the group posted on social media. “We will continue to support Aisha as she runs on her record of accomplishments through the August runoff & can’t wait to serve alongside her in Congress!”
The runoff comes amid a broader political landscape in California, where voters have shown a preference for competence over identity in recent primaries. The outcome could also offer clues about the state’s shifting dynamics ahead of the November general election, where down-ballot races and ballot initiatives—such as California’s Billionaire Tax Initiative—are drawing attention.
Both candidates will now ramp up campaigning in a district that leans heavily Democratic, making the August runoff a key test of grassroots organizing and voter turnout. The winner will join a Congress already focused on the 2024 presidential race and legislative battles over spending and border security.
