Progressive Aisha Wahab wins Eric Swalwell’s former House seat

SAN FRANCISCO — Aisha Wahab, a progressive California state lawmaker, has won the special election for an East Bay congressional seat previously held by former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned over allegations of sexual assault.

The Associated Press declared the race for Wahab on Thursday afternoon, after the latest vote count expanded her lead over fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez.

"This victory belongs to the voters who made clear that our district cannot be bought," Wahab said in a statement. "Through one of the ugliest, most expensive elections we've ever seen, we never took the bait or went negative. We stayed focused on the people, and I will fight for this district that raised me."

Wahab defeated Hernandez, a more moderate Democrat and president of a Bay Area regional transit board, despite an onslaught of spending from outside PACs, including several funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Those groups poured more than $6 million into television ads and mailers attacking Wahab or boosting Hernandez.

The race emerged as the latest proxy battle between populist progressives and more establishment forces wrestling for control of the Democratic Party in primary contests across the country. And while Wahab prevailed, Hernandez dramatically narrowed her 26-point lead from the primary. Wahab and Hernandez are now poised for a contentious rematch in November, when they compete for a full term.

In California, the race highlighted tensions between Wahab and top leaders of the state's Democratic congressional delegation after she refused, ahead of the June primary, to go along with their plan to elect a temporary caretaker after Swalwell resigned. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the longtime chair of California's delegation, released a video rebuking Wahab on the eve of Tuesday's election.

Hernandez, in her concession statement, said she's hoping for a different outcome in November, when the rivals will compete in a new district with slightly different boundaries. "I've been a fighter my whole life," she said, "and when I promised the residents of CA-14 I would fight for them, I never gave up."

Wahab's victory this week secured her the remainder of Swalwell's term, until January. Swalwell, who resigned from Congress in April after dropping out of the race for California governor, has denied the sexual assault allegations against him.