What to know about California’s special election to replace Eric Swalwell

Collectively, outside groups have spent about $4.1m on the race since mid-July. About $3.7m was spent to benefit Hernandez’s campaign, compared with just shy of $400,000 to benefit Wahab’s.

Wahab, an Afghan American who is the first Muslim woman elected to California’s state Senate, has called out Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and pushed legislation condemning alleged human rights abuses against Palestinians and captives held by Hamas.

Hernandez’s campaign is attacking Wahab for her legislative record on criminal penalties.

Wahab last week said she aims to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) over claims of “unprecedented” election interference on social media by outside groups like AIPAC.

“What we are seeing is a surge of suspicious accounts, bot-like activity, and very much coordinated to say the same vile, misleading narratives,” Wahab said at a news conference.

Semafor reported that a supporter of Hernandez’s campaign has filed a separate FEC complaint against Wahab, alleging the lawmaker received an “illegal and unreported in-kind contribution” from a local Democratic Party. Wahab, who has received the California Democratic Party’s endorsement, told the outlet the complaint was “deliberately misrepresenting” the party’s backing for her.

Has redistricting affected the race?

The boundaries of the 14th Congressional District were redrawn as part of a new congressional map approved by voters in a 2025 statewide ballot measure known as Proposition 50. While the winner of the special election will serve under the current boundaries for the remainder of the year, the map goes into effect for the full-term seat in January.

Proposition 50 was placed on the ballot in response to mid-decade redistricting efforts led by US President Donald Trump in several Republican-controlled states. While the plan created a congressional map more favourable to Democrats, no dramatic changes were made to the 14th District.

What implications could this election have on November’s midterms?

AIPAC’s spending in the race also indicates the group, despite a mixed record of success in this year’s primaries, intends to spend sizeable in the lead-up to November’s pivotal midterms.

The candidate who wins will serve out the remainder of Swalwell’s term. It ends in January. Wahab and Hernandez will also face off again in November for the congressional seat’s full two-year term.