The special election to fill the seat vacated by former Rep.Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., remained undecided in the early Wednesday morning hours.The battle to succeed Swalwell comes after he resigned in April amid sexual assault allegations from at least five women.
Prior to the allegations, Swalwell was also making a bid for California's gubernatorial race, but he dropped that bid as well.Vying for Swalwell's seat are two women: progressive state Sen.Aisha Wahab and moderate Democrat and Bay Area Rapid Transit Board (BART) President Melissa Hernandez.Tuesday's primary race will determine who will immediately fill Swalwell's seat for the remainder of the term.
However, it is also serving as the primary race for the midterms, meaning that Wahab and Hernandez will face each other again in November.Former Rep.Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., left, pictured next to the U.S.
capitol, right.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)STATE OF PLAY: HIGHLY WATCHED HONG RACE REMAINS TOO CLOSE TO CALL AS PROGRESSIVES NOTCH KEY PRIMARY WINSWahab and Hernandez both emerged as the "top-two" vote getters in the special election's jungle primary race held on June 16 for California's 14th Congressional District.
Under California law, elections have open primaries, meaning whoever the top vote getters are, regardless of their party affiliation, will move on to the general election.The race between Hernandez and Wahab mirrors a larger trend reflected across Democratic primary races, as far-left progressive candidates, often backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, are seeking to defeat establishment-backed Democratic candidates.HAYWARD, CA - MARCH 2: Senator Aisha Wahab (C) attends a press conference as Governor Gavin Newsom criticizes U.S.President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran during a press conference about new statewide accountability and funding for homelessness and mental health in Hayward, California, United States, o...