East Bay congressional candidates make final push ahead of Aug. 18 special election

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Voters in California's 14th Congressional District are preparing to cast their ballots in a high-stakes special election to decide who will represent the East Bay in Washington, D.C.

The upcoming Aug. 18 election will fill the vacant seat previously held by former Congressman Eric Swalwell, who stepped down earlier this year following allegations of sexual misconduct. 

With the deadline fast approaching, candidates BART Director Melissa Hernandez and State Sen. Aisha Wahab are making their final pushes to capture remaining undecided voters across the district.

In-person voting began Saturday in Pleasanton, and official 24-hour drop boxes are open for mail-in ballots. To be counted, ballots sent by mail must be postmarked by August 18. 

Candidates Clash Over Experience and Endorsements

Hernandez, who formerly served as the mayor of Dublin, is campaigning on her local record and highlighting recent endorsements from several area police and fire departments. During recent campaign events, Hernandez criticized current state policy and questioned whether Sacramento politics are delivering for East Bay residents.

"My opponent has spent three years in Sacramento, so let me ask you a straightforward question: Has Sacramento been working for you?" Hernandez said. "Is your rent lower, are your kids safer, is anything easier? Because if the answer is no, then sending more Sacramento politics to Washington, D.C., isn’t change."

Wahab, who has been endorsed by the California Democratic Party, and received similar endorsements from area police and fire departments, enters the final days of the race considered the frontrunner. She defended her legislative background in the state Senate and pushed back against criticism from opponent-backed campaigns.

"My work speaks for itself," Wahab said. "I have protected children, I have supported affordable housing in down payment assistance programs, I have capped insulin, and I will continue to work to have a future for every single resident in my district and across this nation."

Wahab has also faced a wave of negative attack ads funded by Super PACs affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Addressing the political messaging, Wahab noted that district residents have expressed frustration over the barrage of advertising.

"I will say our district is a district that doesn’t like this type of stuff," Wahab said. "We have calls every day that say, 'We hate these ads. Can you do something against them?'"

Voters Balance Key Issues Amid Campaign Fatigue

As the campaign reaches its final stretch, local voters in Pleasanton reported varying levels of engagement, with some weighing family priorities against voter fatigue.

Pleasanton resident Ishan Khoche said he is taking time to evaluate the candidate materials at home before making his decision. "I have the booklets at home. I’ve got to read them and make the right call, but I think my main focus is my kids and I’ll be voting on that," Khoche said.

Other residents expressed weariness over the continuous influx of political mailers and ads, pointing out that another election cycle looms in November.

"I’ll vote, I’ll go down there once I’ve made up my mind, but I don’t need them sending me all this stuff," said Pleasanton resident Jerry Dean.

Pleasanton resident John McAllister noted the brief timeline of the special term, stating, "This is just a short-term election anyways until November, and then I guess we gotta do it again."

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