Aisha Wahab, a California state legislator, has won the special election for California’s 14th Congressional District, becoming the first Afghan-American woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Wahab defeated Melissa Hernandez, an official with the San Francisco Bay Area’s public transportation system, in the election. After taking the oath of office, she will replace Eric Swalwell, the Democratic representative for the district, who resigned in April after allegations of sexual misconduct were raised against him.
Swalwell has denied the allegations against him. With Wahab’s victory, Democrats will hold 213 seats in the U.S. House, while Republicans will hold 218.
California’s 14th Congressional District, located near the cities of San Francisco and San Jose, is considered a traditionally Democratic stronghold.
Wahab, who is regarded as a progressive Democrat, previously made history by becoming the first Muslim woman and the first Afghan American to serve in the California State Legislature.
According to NBC News, with 95 percent of the votes counted, Wahab had secured more than 53 percent of the vote, while Hernandez had received approximately 47 percent.
During the election campaign, United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), spent nearly $2.5 million in support of Hernandez beginning in early August.
The lobbying group has faced criticism in several Democratic primary contests over candidates’ positions on Israel.
Wahab, 39, was born in New York City to Afghan immigrant parents. Her victory in the special election for California’s 14th Congressional District paves the way for the first Afghan-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
