Congressman Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, has resigned from Congress following multiple accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct. These allegations also disrupted his campaign for the California governor’s race. The special election to fill the seat left vacant by Swalwell is still undecided, as of early Wednesday morning.
Swalwell stepped down in April after at least five women alleged sexual assault against him. Before these allegations, he had been campaigning for the California gubernatorial race. He withdrew from this race as well. Now, two women are competing to fill Swalwell’s seat: progressive state Senator Aisha Wahab and moderate Democrat and Bay Area Rapid Transit Board (BART) President Melissa Hernandez.
Tuesday’s primary race aimed to appoint a candidate to temporarily fill Swalwell’s seat until the end of the term. It also served as the primary race for the midterms, thus Wahab and Hernandez will once again face off in November.
Aisha Wahab and Melissa Hernandez emerged as the top two contenders in the special election’s jungle primary race held on June 16 for California’s 14th Congressional District. California law allows open primaries, enabling the top vote recipients, irrespective of their political party, to proceed to the general election.
This electoral battle highlights a growing trend in Democratic primary races. Far-left progressive candidates, often supported by the Democratic Socialists of America, strive to defeat establishment-backed Democratic figures.
Senator Aisha Wahab, who has been in the state Senate since 2022, advocates for policies like checking the power of ICE, lowering prescription costs, and boosting investment in green energy. Her campaign has secured support from organizations and figures such as Our Revolution, Attorney General Rob Bonta, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, and Congressman Greg Casar.
Melissa Hernandez, contrastingly, takes a more moderate approach concerning immigration issues. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Hernandez acknowledges problems within the immigration system, endorsing smart border security and regional cooperation.
Despite Wahab’s campaign stance against ICE, she faced controversy when her father suggested on Facebook that her supporters should call ICE on Hernandez. Wahab’s campaign responded with an apology published on their website.
Elaine Mallon reports for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, focusing on national politics.