Race details
California 14th Congressional District Special Primary
Candidates
Aisha Wahab (D)
California State Senator from Silicon Valley and former Hayward mayor pro tem; first Afghan American elected to the California Legislature, with a focus on housing affordability and working-family issues.
Vote totals pending
Melissa Hernandez (D)
BART Board President and former Dublin mayor; Tri-Valley's first Latina mayor, campaigning on transit, regional infrastructure, and local-government experience.
Vote totals pending
Why this race matters
Special election to fill the East Bay's CA-14 seat after Representative Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress in April 2026 following multiple sexual-misconduct allegations that ended his gubernatorial bid. Governor Gavin Newsom scheduled a special primary for June 16, 2026, with a potential top-two runoff on August 18, 2026, if no candidate clears 50%. The winner serves only the remainder of Swalwell's term, through January 2027, and would likely face a regular-cycle race soon after. Nine candidates are already in the field for the full term. State Senator Aisha Wahab and BART Board President (and former Dublin Mayor) Melissa Hernandez are considered the prominent contenders in a deep-blue district.