Aisha Wahab becomes the first woman of Afghan descent to be elected to the US Congress

Elaha Fri Aug 2026 1 month ago 705

Wahab defeated Melissa Hernandez, an official with the San Francisco Bay Area's public transportation system. After taking the oath of office, she will replace Democrat Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April amid sexual misconduct allegations—which Swalwell has denied.


With Wahab's victory, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives will hold 213 seats, while Republicans hold 218. The 14th District, located near San Francisco and San Jose, is considered a safely Democratic seat.


Wahab had previously made history as the first Muslim woman and first Afghan American in the California State Legislature. According to NBC News, with 95 percent of votes counted, she garnered more than 53 percent, while Hernandez received about 47 percent.


The 39-year-old Aisha Wahab was born in New York City to Afghan immigrant parents. During the election, the "United Democracy Project"—a super PAC affiliated with AIPAC—spent nearly $2.5 million to support Hernandez.

Aisha Wahab, a California state lawmaker, won the special election for California's 14th Congressional District, becoming the first Afghan American woman to join the U.S. Congress.

ilaha

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