Key facts
- Aisha Wahab won a special election for a U.S. House seat in California.
- Wahab, a California state senator, defeated Democrat Melissa Hernandez.
- The seat was previously held by Representative Eric Swalwell.
- Wahab will be the first Afghan American member of the U.S. Congress.
- Wahab and Hernandez will compete again in November for a full term.
California State Senator Aisha Wahab has won a special election for a U.S. House seat, becoming the first Afghan-American to serve in Congress. Wahab defeated fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez in a tight race for the seat vacated by Eric Swalwell. The election saw significant outside spending, with PACs, including those funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spending over $6 million on attack ads against Wahab and in support of Hernandez. Wahab's victory gives Democrats 213 House seats, while Republicans hold 218. She will serve the remainder of Swalwell's term until January and will also compete in the November general election for a full two-year term.