California's 14th District Votes in Special Primary

Voters in California's 14th Congressional District decided who will fill the remainder of former Rep. Eric Swalwell's term in a special primary election on Tuesday. The district, which heavily favors Democrats, includes parts of Dublin, Fremont, Hayward, and Livermore.

The highest-profile contenders are Democrats Aisha Wahab, a state senator focused on reducing housing costs, and Melissa Hernandez, a Bay Area Rapid Transit director. Among the Republicans in the race were real estate investor Wendy Huang and small business owner Dena Maldonado.

The special primary is for an abbreviated term that expires in January 2027. If any candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, they win outright. Otherwise, the top two finishers advance to a runoff election on August 18, 2026. The district's boundaries were redrawn as part of Proposition 50, which was approved by voters in a 2025 statewide ballot measure.

Swalwell resigned from Congress in April following allegations of sexual misconduct that he has denied. He also withdrew from the California governor's race. In the June primary for the full term starting January 2027, Wahab and Hernandez finished first and second, guaranteeing the seat remains in Democratic hands.

Democratic state senator Aisha Wahab advanced Tuesday to the special general election in California for the U.S. House seat vacated by Rep. Eric Swalwell after he resigned from Congress amid allegations of sexual assault. Wahab will compete in the Aug. 18 special general election, which will determine who will fill the remainder of Swalwell’s term through January.

Wahab is also competing in the November runoff to determine who will succeed Swalwell for a full two-year term. The district heavily favors Democrats, and Swalwell typically beat Republican challengers by wide vote margins. If any candidate receives over 50% of the vote, they will win outright and serve out the remainder of Swalwell’s term through January.

Among the candidates are Wahab, who focused her campaign message on reducing housing costs, and Hernandez, a Bay Area Rapid Transit director and former mayor of Dublin. The two represent different wings of the party that have been battling in numerous states this primary season. Wahab, a progressive, has focused on combating high costs by expanding the social safety net and taking aim at “corporate profiteering,” while Hernandez, considered a moderate, pushed a platform of job growth and supporting small businesses.