EXPLAINER
A race that when obtained little consideration has morphed right into a proxy struggle for the soul of the Democratic Social gathering.
Printed On 18 Aug 2026
Voters in a swath of the US state of California’s Bay Space are heading to the polls Tuesday to find out which Democrat will exchange former Consultant Eric Swalwell to signify the state’s 14th Congressional District.
State Senator Aisha Wahab and native transit official Melissa Hernandez are going through off in a race that has develop into more and more costly and combative.
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Wahab and Hernandez each superior to Tuesday’s particular election after they garnered roughly 38 and 17 % assist, respectively, throughout a nonpartisan major held in June. Below California’s distinctive “jungle major” system, the 2 candidates with probably the most votes advance if neither receives greater than 50 % of the vote.
Swalwell, who spent greater than a decade in Congress earlier than mounting a run for California governor earlier this yr, resigned in April following a number of allegations of sexual assault, which he has denied.
When do the polls open and shut?
Polls are open for voters from 7am to 8pm native time (14:00 Tuesday – 02:00 Wednesday GMT).
Why has this develop into a tense race?
As soon as thought of the inevitable successor, Wahab has contended in opposition to a flood of out of doors cash. Tremendous PACs, together with some affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), have spent thousands and thousands of {dollars} on ads to sink Wahab’s candidacy and enhance Hernandez within the last weeks of the race. One such AIPAC-affiliated group, the United Democracy Challenge, spent $1.2m on the race in August in assist of Hernandez and in opposition to Wahab, in response to Federal Election Fee information. One other group spent $1.7m on the race.
Collectively, outdoors teams have spent about $4.1m on the race since mid-July. About $3.7m was spent to learn Hernandez’s marketing campaign, in contrast with simply shy of $400,000 to learn Wahab’s.
Wahab, an Afghan American who’s the primary Muslim girl elected to California’s state Senate, has called out Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and pushed legislation condemning alleged human rights abuses in opposition to Palestinians and captives held by Hamas.
Hernandez’s marketing campaign is attacking Wahab for her legislative report on felony penalties.
Wahab final week said she plans to file a complaint with the Federal Election Fee (FEC) over claims of “unprecedented” election interference on social media by outdoors teams like AIPAC.
“What we’re seeing is a surge of suspicious accounts, bot-like exercise, and really a lot coordinated to say the identical vile, deceptive narratives,” Wahab mentioned at a information convention.
Semafor reported {that a} supporter of Hernandez’s marketing campaign has filed a separate FEC criticism in opposition to Wahab, alleging the lawmaker obtained an “unlawful and unreported in-kind contribution” from a neighborhood Democratic Social gathering. Wahab, who has obtained the California Democratic Social gathering’s endorsement, informed the outlet the criticism was “intentionally misrepresenting” the social gathering’s assist for her.
Has redistricting affected the race?
The boundaries of the 14th Congressional District had been redrawn as a part of a brand new congressional map authorised by voters in a 2025 statewide poll measure often known as Proposition 50. The map goes into impact for the full-term seat in January, whereas the winner of the particular election will serve below the present boundaries for the rest of the yr.
Proposition 50 was positioned on the poll in response to mid-decade redistricting efforts led by US President Donald Trump in a number of Republican-controlled states. Whereas the plan created a congressional map extra beneficial to Democrats, no dramatic modifications had been made to the 14th District.
What implications may this election have on November’s midterms?
AIPAC’s spending within the race additionally signifies the group, regardless of a blended report of success on this yr’s primaries, intends to spend large within the lead-up to November’s pivotal midterms.
The candidate who wins will serve out the rest of Swalwell’s time period, which ends in January. Wahab and Hernandez can even face off once more in November for the congressional seat’s full two-year time period.
