The special election to fill the vacancy left by former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April amid sexual assault allegations, remains too close to call more than 12 hours after polls closed Tuesday. Swalwell has denied the accusations.
Two Democrats, State Sen. Aisha Wahab and BART board member Melissa Hernandez, are in a tight race for California's 14th Congressional District, which covers parts of the Bay Area including Hayward and Fremont, extending east to Livermore.
As of Wednesday morning, with 62% of the votes counted, Wahab, a progressive, held a slight lead with 51% of the vote, totaling 33,399 votes. Hernandez, a moderate Democrat, trailed by 1,356 votes with 49% of the vote share.
The election has been marked by contention, with Super PACs, including those linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spending heavily against Wahab. Her campaign reported a $2.9 million expenditure against her in recent weeks, which appeared to benefit Hernandez.
Wahab, the first Muslim elected to the California Senate, had previously indicated support for labeling the plight of Palestine as a genocide during a candidate forum in April. However, campaign advertisements have focused on various issues rather than the Middle East.
Both campaigns have accused each other of election-related violations. Wahab's campaign requested an investigation into social media posts containing alleged false statements and potential bot activity. Hernandez, in turn, alleged that Wahab improperly transferred funds from her state campaign account through a county Democratic committee to obscure corporate donations.
Further complicating the race, Wahab declined to sign an agreement proposed by California's Democratic congressional delegation. This agreement would have designated a caretaker to serve out the remainder of Swalwell's term, a decision that drew public criticism from Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who accused Wahab of acting selfishly. Wahab's refusal to sign the agreement necessitated Tuesday's special election to fill the immediate vacancy, distinct from the election for the subsequent full term.
