HAYWARD, Calif. (Diya TV) — California State Sen. Aisha Wahab moved closer to Congress after securing a strong lead in the special election to fill the remainder of former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell’s term, according to election results released Tuesday.
The Associated Press called the race for Wahab after she received 42.4% of the counted vote. However, the contest is likely heading to an August runoff because she has not yet crossed the 50% threshold needed to win outright.
Meanwhile, the race for second place remains too close to call. Democrat Melissa Hernandez currently holds the advantage with 16.7% of the counted vote. However, fellow Democrat Rakhi Israni remains in contention with 13.2%.
Election officials reported that about 82% of ballots had been counted as of Tuesday night. As a result, additional vote totals could still affect the final standings. The runoff election is scheduled for Aug. 18 unless Wahab’s share of the vote rises above 50% as more ballots are processed.
The special election will determine who completes Swalwell’s congressional term, which ends in January. California’s 14th Congressional District covers much of Alameda County, including Hayward, Pleasanton and Livermore.
Swalwell resigned from Congress after allegations of sexual assault and misconduct surfaced against him. He has denied the allegations.
Wahab entered the race as the leading candidate and maintained that position throughout the vote count. She currently represents California’s Senate District 10 and has built a political career focused on consumer protections and family support policies.
Before joining the state Senate, Wahab served on the Hayward City Council.
Her political profile has grown in recent years after spearheading the contentious caste discrimination bill SB 403 that was ultimately vetoed by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Hernandez, who remains the leading contender for the runoff’s second spot, previously served as mayor of Dublin. In addition, she worked as a board director for the Bay Area Rapid Transit.
Currently, Hernandez serves as a healthcare services director for an Alameda County supervisor.
At the same time, Israni continues to compete for a place in the runoff. She founded Excel Test Prep Inc., an education company based in Fremont.
Israni also holds an MBA and completed police academy training, although she has not worked in law enforcement.
Although the special election remains unfinished, voters have already decided the district’s longer-term congressional race. During California’s June 2 primary election, Wahab finished first with 38.3% of the vote, while Hernandez placed second with 17.2%.
As a result, Wahab and Hernandez have already secured spots in November’s general election for the full congressional term that begins in January. Therefore, voters could see the same two candidates compete in both the August runoff and the November general election.
