East Bay voters pick Swalwell's successor in crowded special election

The East Bay is about to elect a new voice to Congress, and the race to fill Eric Swalwell’s seat isn’t your typical special election. After seven terms representing California’s 14th Congressional District, Swalwell resigned in April following sexual assault allegations reported by the San Francisco Chronicle—allegations he’s repeatedly denied. Now voters are tasked with choosing his replacement in a race that’s already heating up with ambition, endorsements, and real political stakes.

Here’s what makes this one interesting: it’s not just a fill-the-vacancy situation. The special election happening today determines who serves out the remainder of Swalwell’s term through January, but candidates are playing a longer game. A regular primary on June 2 already crowned two frontrunners—state senator Aisha Wahab and BART director and former Dublin mayor Melissa Hernandez—who’ll face off in November for the full term. So whoever wins today gets a few months of incumbency advantage, name recognition boost, and real congressional experience to leverage in the fall campaign.

The 14th District, which covers East Bay cities like Fremont, Hayward, and Livermore, leans heavily Democratic, which means Swalwell’s old margin of victory will likely determine whether one candidate clears 50% today or forces a two-candidate runoff on August 18. Eleven names are on the ballot, including Democrats Wahab and Hernandez alongside Republicans like real estate investor Wendy Huang and Dena Maldonado, a small business owner. Democrat and attorney Rakhi Israni Singh, who ran in the June primary but didn’t make the top two, is also competing for the short-term seat.

What’s really at play here is momentum. Months in Congress, coupled with a head start on the November general election, could be the difference between winning a full term and watching it slip away. For local politics watchers, this is the kind of special election that shapes which faces become recognizable, which organizations gain influence, and which ambitious politicians get their shot at the national stage. Today’s vote isn’t just about filling a vacancy—it’s about who gets to claim they’ve already done the job.