Aisha Wahab becomes first Afghan American woman elected to US Congress

Aisha Wahab has become the first Afghan American woman elected to the US Congress after winning a special election in California. Wahab, 39, a Democrat, secured 53.09% of the vote, defeating her opponent Melissa Hernandez, who received 46.91%, according to results announced Thursday.

Wahab will represent California’s 14th Congressional District, filling the seat vacated by Democrat Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied. With Wahab’s victory, Democrats now hold 213 seats in the House of Representatives, while Republicans retain 218 seats.

After her win, Wahab pledged to fight for her district, saying her journey from an orphanage to Congress proves that “the American dream is real.” She will serve until January 20, 2027, completing the remainder of Swalwell’s term.

Born in 1987 in New York to Afghan refugee parents who fled the Soviet invasion, Wahab lost her father to an unsolved murder and later lost her mother. She and her sister grew up in foster care before being adopted by an Afghan American family in Fremont.

Wahab earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from San Jose State University, an MBA from California State University, and completed a doctorate in social work at the University of Southern California in August 2024. She is considered a leading progressive candidate in this year’s congressional elections.