Wahab wins California special election, defying pro-Israel spending

California state Senator Aisha Wahab has won the special election for the 14th congressional district, defeating moderate Democrat Melissa Hernandez. The progressive victory marks a notable instance of a candidate overcoming substantial outside spending in the final weeks of the race, according to US media projections. Wahab will represent the district, which encompasses the southeastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, for the remainder of former Congressman Eric Swalwell’s term, which concludes in January.

The special election was necessitated by Swalwell’s resignation in April following reports of alleged sexual assault, which he denied. Wahab’s win positions her as the first Afghan American to serve in the US Congress. In a statement, she described her victory as proof that the district “cannot be bought,” noting her personal journey from foster care to Congress as an embodiment of the American Dream.

The race highlighted the continued influence of the pro-Israel lobby in US politics, a dynamic tested against a backdrop of declining support for Israel amid the war in Gaza. An Associated Press poll released in July indicated that roughly a third of US adults believed Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. Wahab, who co-authored a state resolution denouncing the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza last year, had previously affirmed this view at an April candidate forum. Hernandez, by contrast, stated that while Israel had a right to self-defence, the destruction in Gaza had gone “too far,” without directly answering the question of genocide.

Financially, the contest saw significant intervention from groups affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The United Democracy Project, a super PAC linked to AIPAC, spent nearly $2.5 million on advertisements supporting Hernandez since early August. Additionally, BOLD America, another group receiving AIPAC funding, spent $1.9 million on the race. Despite these figures, Wahab had already secured a wide margin in the June primary, capturing more than 42 per cent of the vote compared to Hernandez’s 17 per cent.

Wahab characterised the opposition’s advertising campaign as “$5m of lies,” pointing to specific ads that made misleading claims about her record on sex-trafficking laws. She responded with her own video emphasising her legislative work to make the trafficking or solicitation of minors a felony. During her time in the state legislature, Wahab focused on housing affordability and authored a bill to ban caste-based discrimination, which was vetoed by California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The result is part of a broader trend during the 2026 midterm election season, where progressive candidates have faced heavy spending from pro-Israel groups. Wahab’s victory follows similar outcomes for other progressive hopefuls, including Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. She is scheduled to face Hernandez again in November for a full two-year term. Progressive Representative Ro Khanna congratulated Wahab, expressing intent to collaborate on Medicare for All, a living wage, and ending the war in Iran.