Race details
California 14th Congressional District Special Primary
Candidates
Odds last updated May 20th, 10:05 AM
Aisha Wahab (D)
85% chance to win
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
Rakhi Israni Singh (D)
14% chance to win
Fremont attorney and education entrepreneur; campaign emphasizes economic opportunity and Bay Area representation with significant fundraising in the special-election sprint.
Vote totals pending
Melissa Hernandez (D)
1% chance to win
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. Several candidates filed for the short term; State Senator Aisha Wahab, attorney Rakhi Israni Singh, and BART Board President Melissa Hernandez have drawn the most attention and resources in a deep-blue district.