State Senator Aisha Wahab held a narrow lead over BART Board President Melissa Hernandez on Wednesday in the special election to fill California’s vacant 14th Congressional District seat, with the result still awaiting final vote counts.

Wahab had 51.04% of the vote compared with 48.96% for Hernandez in the latest reported results, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The close contest marks a sharp change from Wahab’s dominant performance in the June special primary, when she led Hernandez by more than 20 percentage points.

The two Democrats are competing to serve the remainder of former Representative Eric Swalwell’s term. Swalwell resigned from Congress in April after allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, which he has denied.

Wahab, a California state senator, entered the special election as the clear frontrunner after receiving 42.82% of the vote in the June 16 special primary. Hernandez finished second with 16.76%, according to certified Alameda County results.

The race became considerably more competitive after outside groups poured millions of dollars into advertising. The Associated Press estimated that roughly $4.1 million had been spent by outside groups since mid-July, with most of the spending benefiting Hernandez. Pro-Israel groups linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee have been among the major spenders, backing Hernandez while targeting Wahab.

The spending has brought greater attention to differences between the candidates over Israel and Gaza, although domestic issues such as public safety and the cost of living have also featured prominently in the campaign. Wahab has taken a more critical position towards Israel, while Hernandez has adopted a more moderate approach.

Hernandez is president of the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board and previously served as mayor of Dublin. BART says she was elected board president in December 2025 and had previously served as vice president.

The special election is being conducted under the congressional district boundaries that existed before California’s latest redistricting. Alameda County’s election authorities have warned that the boundaries will differ from those used for the November general election following the implementation of Proposition 50.

Regardless of the outcome of the special election, Wahab and Hernandez are due to face each other again on November 3 for the full congressional term beginning in January 2027. Both candidates secured places on the November ballot during the June primary.

The district remains strongly Democratic. In the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris won the existing district with 65.8% of the vote, according to the Associated Press.