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

EXPLAINERA race that once received little attention has morphed into a proxy fight for the soul of the Democratic Party.Published On 18 Aug 202618 Aug 2026Voters in a swath of the US state of California’s Bay Area are heading to the polls Tuesday to determine which Democrat will replace former Representative Eric Swalwell to represent the state’s 14th Congressional District.State Senator Aisha Wahab and local transit official Melissa Hernandez are facing off in a race that has become increasingly expensive and combative.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4How much has AIPAC spent against Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed? And why?list 2 of 4How Abdul El-Sayed’s ‘extraordinary’ win stunned pro-Israel establishmentlist 3 of 4Fifth woman accuses former US lawmaker Eric Swalwell of sexual misconductlist 4 of 4Eric Swalwell exits California governor race after sex assault allegationsend of listWahab and Hernandez both advanced to Tuesday’s special election after they garnered roughly 38 and 17 percent support, respectively, during a nonpartisan primary held in June. Under California’s unique “jungle primary” system, the two candidates with the most votes advance if neither receives mo...