Aisha Wahab said that her victory in the California special election proved that her constituency “cannot be bought,” referring to the millions of dollars spent by lobbyists to support her rival Melissa Hernandez and attack her campaign.
Wahab, the first American of Afghan descent to serve as a member of Congress, added that her move “from nursing homes to Congress” shows what can be achieved within the framework of the American dream.
Hernandez acknowledged the election results, but confirmed her readiness to confront Wahhab again in November, noting that the next vote will be held in a modified district that includes about 26,000 additional voters from the city of Dublin.
Wahab will serve out the remainder of former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell's term until January. After she is sworn in, the number of Democratic seats in the House of Representatives will rise to 213, compared to 218 for Republicans.
Aisha Wahab achieved a historic achievement in American politics, after she became the first American of Afghan descent to be elected to Congress, following her victory in special elections in California.
Wahab, a Democratic member of the California State Senate, won over her Democratic rival, Melissa Hernandez, in the state’s 14th district, by obtaining about 53 percent of the votes compared to about 47 percent for her competitor, according to the results published in Alameda County.
Wahab will succeed former Democratic Representative, Eric Swalwell, to complete the remainder of his term until next January, before facing Hernandez again in the November elections to win a full term in the House of Representatives.
Aisha Wahab was born in New York in 1987 to refugee parents from Afghanistan, but her childhood witnessed early family tragedies.
Her father was murdered when she was a child, and her mother died at an early age, placing her and her sister in the foster care system, before they were adopted by a family in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Her official biography says that her personal experiences, including the economic difficulties her family later faced, contributed to shaping her political interests, especially on issues of housing and economic inequality.
In 2011, her family lost their home after defaulting on their mortgage, her adoptive parents lost their jobs, and Wahab lost her job. After the family moved to Hayward due to the high cost of living, Wahab began attending local council meetings and advocating for affordable housing.
Before entering the world of politics, she worked in non-profit organizations, community organizing and technology, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science, a master’s in business administration, and then a doctorate in social work.
Wahab's recent victory was not the first time she had broken a barrier in American politics.
In 2018, she won a seat on the Hayward City Council, becoming the first Afghan-American woman elected to public office in the United States.
Four years later, she was elected to the California State Senate, becoming the first Afghan American and the first Muslim woman to reach the state legislature.
Wahab was known for her progressive stances and focus on issues of housing, equality, and the rights of workers and underrepresented groups.
She also sparked controversy when she introduced a bill to ban caste discrimination in California, but the state's governor, Gavin Newsom, vetoed it.
Wahab's victory came after an election race that saw millions of dollars flow from outside political groups to support her rival or attack her record.
American media reported that political action committees linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent about $6.4 million to support Hernandez and attack Wahhab.
Wahab had described what was happening to the Palestinians in Gaza as “genocide,” and she also opposed legislation in California that raised concerns from organizations defending freedom of expression against the backdrop of university protests against the Gaza war.
Heavy spending to attack her and support her rival contributed to narrowing the gap, after she had outperformed Hernandez by more than 20 points in the previous primary elections.
But that did not prevent her from winning in the end, adding a new stop to a march that began in the foster care system and reached the Capitol building in Washington.
However, the electoral battle is not over yet.
The current victory gives Wahab the seat only until January, while she will face Hernandez again in November to determine who will represent the district during the next full term.
