CA-14: Bay Area state senator (D) adds name to the list of candidates hoping to replace Eric Swalwell
DUBLIN — The number of candidates hoping to fill Eric Swalwell’s East Bay congressional seat keeps growing.
This week, state Sen. Aisha Wahab, D-Fremont, officially added her name to the list, declaring her candidacy in an exclusive interview with this news organization. She said that if elected, her familiarity with the district’s issues will allow her to hit the ground running.
“This is my home. I know it really well. I understand the issues, I understand the communities,” Wahab said of District 14. “The honest truth is we need somebody that is able to go to congress that can start the work from day one.”
Wahab’s entry into the race brings the total number of candidates to five; BART Board President Melissa Hernandez, independent businessman Matt Ortega, immigration attorney Abrar Qadir and retired tech executive Wendy Huang — the lone Republican candidate — had previously announced their bids to replace Swalwell, who is running in California’s gubernatorial race this year.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/01/24/bay-area-state-senator-adds-her-name-to-the-growing-list-of-candidates-hoping-to-replace-eric-swalwell/amp/