---
title: "California’s 14th District elects Aisha Wahab in special runoff to replace Eric Swalwell"
publication: "MediaBias News"
url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/californias-14th-district-elects-aisha-wahab-in-special-runoff-to-replace-eric-s"
api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/californias-14th-district-elects-aisha-wahab-in-special-runoff-to-replace-eric-s"
markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/californias-14th-district-elects-aisha-wahab-in-special-runoff-to-replace-eric-s.md"
audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/californias-14th-district-elects-aisha-wahab-in-special-runoff-to-replace-eric-s"
category: "Politics"
area: "United States"
published: "2026-08-20T23:25:51.051Z"
source_reported: "2026-08-20T22:49:51.000Z"
updated: "2026-08-21T00:45:22.774Z"
trust_score: 70
critic_score: 85
hype_score: 15
assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis"
fact_check_status: "not-performed"
coverage_measured: "2026-08-21T00:30:21.690476+00:00"
---

# California’s 14th District elects Aisha Wahab in special runoff to replace Eric Swalwell

*Wahab, a progressive state senator, will serve the final months of Swalwell’s term after a close vote count*

**Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): 

- Trust 70 of 100, higher is better. All outlets agree Wahab won; MS NOW's report adds named sources and documents.
- Craft 85 of 100, higher is better. All outlets quote or name affected parties; MS NOW's report separates fact from comment.
- Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Headlines are measured; no outlet overstates the outcome.

Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology.

**The short version**

- Aisha Wahab won the special election runoff for California’s 14th Congressional District, defeating Melissa Hernandez after a delayed vote count.
- The race tightened after outside spending, though Wahab led by over 20 points in earlier primaries.
- Wahab will serve the remainder of Eric Swalwell’s term, which ends in January, with a November rematch against Hernandez already scheduled.
- No right-rated outlet carried the story, according to the reports below.

Aisha Wahab, a Democratic state senator from California, won a special election runoff to fill the House seat vacated by Eric Swalwell. The race, held in the state’s 14th Congressional District, was decided after a prolonged count of mail ballots, which can arrive after Election Day and still be counted under California law.

Wahab defeated Melissa Hernandez, president of the Bay Area Rapid Transit board and a former mayor of Dublin. The margin remained close until additional ballots were processed, though Wahab had led by more than 20 percentage points in both the special primary and the regularly scheduled June primary. The seat will remain Democratic, as both candidates were from the same party.

Wahab will serve the remainder of Swalwell’s term, which ends in January. The November general election will determine who represents the district for the next two years, with Wahab and Hernandez set to face each other again. Swalwell resigned in April following allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, which he denied.

## What the coverage left out

None of the digests from left-rated outlets mentioned the November rematch between Wahab and Hernandez. MS NOW’s full report carried it, but the other five left-rated digests did not. No right-rated outlet ran the story at all, according to the reports below.

## Who covered it

Shares of the 38 covering outlets with a published leaning rating:

- Left: 47% (18)
- Centre: 45% (17)
- Right: 8% (3)

1 of 39 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-21T00:30:21.690476+00:00.

**Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 6 times; 2 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-21T00:45:22.774Z.

## How the sides framed it

### Left

- Left-rated outlets led on Aisha Wahab’s victory in the special election to replace Eric Swalwell in California’s 14th District. All 12 reports stated she won the runoff against Melissa Hernandez and will serve the remainder of Swalwell’s term, which ends in January 2027. The Associated Press and MS NOW added that Wahab is the first Afghan American elected to Congress.
- The two full reports, from MS NOW and the Associated Press, quoted Wahab’s statement that her district “cannot be bought” after outside spending opposed her. Both named the American Israel Public Affairs Committee as a source of the spending. MS NOW described Wahab’s platform as progressive, listing her support for Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and renters’ protections. The Associated Press noted her 2023 bill to ban caste-based discrimination, which Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed.
- MS NOW and the Associated Press included the sexual assault allegations against Swalwell that led to his resignation. MS NOW reported the FBI seized his phone and raided his home. The Associated Press said criminal investigations are ongoing. None of the digests mentioned the allegations or the investigations.

### Centre

- The two centre-rated digests led on Wahab’s projected victory and the special election’s purpose. The Hill described Wahab as a progressive and noted the race was to fill the remainder of Swalwell’s term. MeadowlakeNOW carried the same Associated Press digest, which stated Wahab had secured the seat until January.

### Right

- The three right-rated digests agree that Aisha Wahab won the special election to replace Eric Swalwell in California’s 14th District. All note that Swalwell resigned in April after sexual assault and harassment allegations, which he denies.
- Fox News and the New York Post led on Swalwell’s resignation and the allegations. Fox News described Wahab’s victory as a win for progressive Democrats over moderate rivals. The New York Post included that Swalwell had ended his gubernatorial campaign before resigning.
- None of the digests mention Wahab’s policy positions, campaign promises, or the voter turnout in the election. The ussanews.com digest does not include details beyond the election result and attribution to The Hill.

**Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding.

## Factuality profile of the covering outlets

These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true.

- low: 1
- mixed: 3
- high: 22
- unknown: 2
- veryHigh: 11

## Verification scope

This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true.

## Original reporting this was written from

- [ussanews.com](https://ussanews.com/2026/08/20/aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-fill-swalwells-california-house-seat) — Aisha Wahab wins special election to fill Swalwell’s California House seat
- [New York Post](https://nypost.com/2026/08/20/us-news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [CBS News](https://cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/aisha-wahab-califonia-district-14-special-election-eric-swalwell) — Aisha Wahab wins special election to serve out remainder of former Rep. Eric Swalwell's term, AP projects
- [SooToday.com](https://sootoday.com/world-news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress-12690042) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Orillia Matters](https://orilliamatters.com/world-news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress-12690042) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Collingwood Today](https://collingwoodtoday.ca/world-news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress-12690042) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Sudbury](https://sudbury.com/world-news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress-12690042) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Bay Today](https://baytoday.ca/world-news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress-12690042) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Ckpg Today](https://ckpgtoday.ca/2026/08/20/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [haltonhillstoday.ca](https://haltonhillstoday.ca/world-news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress-12690042) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Enid News & Eagle](https://enidnews.com/region/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress/article_262b104a-f8c8-557c-853b-4f2dc7c545b3.html) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Cecil Daily](https://cecildaily.com/ap/nation/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress/article_83d8e601-475e-559d-bfcc-6d60fdee3dc4.html) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Ottumwa Courier](https://ottumwacourier.com/news/national_news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress/article_f39d619c-8522-562b-9aff-5e03811e1f06.html) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Rutland Herald](https://rutlandherald.com/ap/national/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress/article_15111264-f4ce-5e52-988a-ec5111daaa3d.html) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Kokomo Tribune](https://kokomotribune.com/news/nation_world_news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress/article_5ed0e07a-7c51-5c95-9112-3b7f40a944ee.html) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [abc 7 LA](https://abc7.com/post/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-succeed-eric-swalwell-congress/19710238) — CA lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [KCRA 3](https://kcra.com/article/california-14th-district-special-election-swalwell-seat-result/73489331) — Aisha Wahab wins California special congressional election for Eric Swalwell's seat
- [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/national/2026/08/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [MS NOW](https://ms.now/news/aisha-wahab-wins-ca-14-special-election-swalwell-house-seat) — Aisha Wahab wins special election to fill Swalwell’s former House seat
- [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress/article_f6488892-407f-57c1-967a-7904c25fd2ad.html) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [meadowlakeNOW](https://meadowlakenow.com/2026/08/20/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Battlefords NOW](https://battlefordsnow.com/2026/08/20/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Goshen News](https://goshennews.com/news/national_news/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress/article_3d50b1ea-43ab-59f7-a050-66339bab3d1e.html) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/aisha-wahab-eric-swalwell-election-melissa-hernandez-17e1183d99f385000ea95e73d7670de6) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/politics/2026/08/20/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [KRDO](https://krdo.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/08/20/democrat-aisha-wahab-will-win-swalwells-house-seat-cnn-projects-overcoming-millions-in-aipac-spending) — Democrat Aisha Wahab will win Swalwell’s House seat, CNN projects, overcoming millions in AIPAC spending
- [KESQ](https://kesq.com/news/national-politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/08/20/democrat-aisha-wahab-will-win-swalwells-house-seat-cnn-projects-overcoming-millions-in-aipac-spending) — Democrat Aisha Wahab will win Swalwell’s House seat, CNN projects, overcoming millions in AIPAC spending
- [Fox News](https://foxnews.com/politics/progressives-notch-victory-race-replace-swalwell-following-sexual-assault-scandal) — Progressives notch victory in race to replace Swalwell following sexual assault scandal
- [KIFI](https://localnews8.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/08/20/democrat-aisha-wahab-will-win-swalwells-house-seat-cnn-projects-overcoming-millions-in-aipac-spending) — Democrat Aisha Wahab will win Swalwell’s House seat, CNN projects, overcoming millions in AIPAC spending
- [New Castle News](https://ncnewsonline.com/news/national/democrat-aisha-wahab-wins-election-to-u-s-house-in-californias-14th-congressional-district/article_5c4692f8-cb5b-5c6b-91c0-a045b0eb18b8.html) — Democrat Aisha Wahab wins election to U.S. House in California's 14th Congressional District
- [NBC News](https://nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/democrat-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-eric-swalwells-former-calif-rcna350344) — Democrat Aisha Wahab wins the special election for Eric Swalwell’s former California district
- [CNN](https://cnn.com/2026/08/20/politics/aisha-wahab-california-house-swalwell) — Democrat Aisha Wahab will win Swalwell’s House seat, CNN projects, overcoming millions in AIPAC spending
- [The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6034868-wahab-wins-california-house-special-election) — Progressive wins special election to fill Swalwell’s California House seat
- [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/united-states/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress/article_9a8eedb0-35fe-5707-bfd5-18c58383d928.html) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/08/20/california-lawmaker-aisha-wahab-wins-special-election-to-succeed-eric-swalwell-in-congress) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab wins special election to succeed Eric Swalwell in Congress
- [KTVU FOX 2](https://ktvu.com/news/aisha-wahab-wins-california-district-14-special-election) — Aisha Wahab wins special election for California’s 14th Congressional District
- [Telemundo Area de la Bahía 48](https://telemundoareadelabahia.com/noticias/local/aisha-wahab-proyectada-ganadora-distrito-congresional-california/2555792) — Aisha Wahab, Projected Winner in the California Congressional District 14 Contest
- [NBC Bay Area](https://nbcbayarea.com/news/local/aisha-wahab-california-congressional-district-14/4130964) — Aisha Wahab projected winner in California's Congressional District 14 race

## Questions

**Why did California’s 14th District hold a special election?**

The special election was held to fill the seat vacated by Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April following allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. The winner, Aisha Wahab, will serve the remainder of his term until January.

**How long will Aisha Wahab serve in Congress after this win?**

Wahab will serve the final months of Eric Swalwell’s term, which ends in January. A November election will determine who represents the district for the next two years, with Wahab and Melissa Hernandez running again.

**Which outlets reported on Aisha Wahab’s victory?**

Six left-rated outlets and two centre-rated outlets carried the story, according to the reports below. No right-rated outlet ran it. MS NOW published the only full report, while the others carried digests.

---

MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/californias-14th-district-elects-aisha-wahab-in-special-runoff-to-replace-eric-s. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "California’s 14th District elects Aisha Wahab in special runoff to replace Eric Swalwell", https://mediabias.news/politics/californias-14th-district-elects-aisha-wahab-in-special-runoff-to-replace-eric-s