Why does this race matter?
This seat opened up in April, when disgraced Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress. Former state Sen. Aisha Wahab defeated BART Board Director Melissa Hernandez in a contentious August special election, but the two will face off again for a full two-year term to represent Fremont, Hayward and the Tri-Valley.
What does a U.S. representative do?
Representatives are your local community’s voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. Members of Congress write and vote on bills, including the federal budget. The winner of this race will serve a two-year term.
Candidates
Melissa HernandezMember, BART Board of DirectorsDemocrat
Aisha WahabU.S. representativeDemocrat
Positions on Key Issues
Candidate summaries are based on interviews with the candidates, questionnaires, statements made at debates and public events, and past news coverage.
What steps will you take to make life more affordable for District 14 residents?
Hernandez points to her time as mayor of Dublin, when the city approved new housing at the highest rates in the Bay Area. “One of the best projects that I brought forward was senior housing,” she says. “They're opening up in December, and there's a 600-person waiting list, so that right there just shows you the need.” In Congress, Hernandez says she will work to overturn President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Wahab touts legislation she wrote as a state senator, included in the 2025-26 state budget, to cap homeowners association fines at $100 and increase the renters tax credit to $250 for individuals making less than $54,000. “They are some of our poorest community members, and we need to make sure that we're taking care of them,” she says. Wahab says she will prioritize increasing federal funding for affordable housing.
What is your plan to reduce healthcare costs?
Hernandez says she will prioritize protecting Medicare and restoring the Medicaid cuts enacted under Trump’s "one big beautiful bill.' “What can we bring back to be able to help those individuals?” she says. “You will see a rise in ER [visits], especially if people forgo their healthcare.” She points to her experience as a healthcare director in the office of Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert, where she works on providing constituent services.
Wahab says Congress should focus on moving toward a “Medicare for All” model of single-payer healthcare. “In all of the Western developed nations, we are the only ones that have this model that is the most expensive and not necessarily available to everybody,” she says. In the state Senate, Wahab voted for legislation signed last year to cap insulin copays at $35.
Do you support changes to our country’s relationship with Israel? Should the U.S. continue to provide military aid?
Hernandez says the billions of dollars in spending needs to be looked at, but adds that “a lot of Congress folks know more … they get the insight.” She says, “You would have to analyze everything in order for you to make that decision.”
Wahab believes Israel can be one of America’s greatest allies in the Middle East if it follows the rule of law, but she criticized its actions in Gaza. “Israel has a full right to defend itself, but it has gone too far, and it's at a point where it is a genocide,” she says. She supports ending military aid to Israel, adding that “we need to kind of reassess where we're putting our dollars.”
What is your position on Proposition 40, the proposed wealth tax on California billionaires?
Hernandez declines to say how she’ll vote on the measure. “Right now I'm doing my homework,” she says. “I’m not going to tell you which way I’m exactly voting. I’d like to keep my record for myself, but I don’t see that the billionaire tax would really help the state of California.”
Wahab supports Proposition 40. “Even though I think that it is limited … because of the fact that it’s a one-time investment, it’s the right way to go,” she says. “If the cost of living is going up, we need to be taking care of our residents — and the fact that we see this effort where billionaires are flying in space for 15 minutes with pop stars like Katy Perry, what is the purpose of that?”
Key Supporters
This list represents notable organizations and individuals who have taken a position on the ballot measure or candidate, or who are funding campaigns in support or opposition. This list is not exhaustive, and may be updated.
For Hernandez
- Sherry Hu, mayor, city of Dublin
- Zoe Lofgren, U.S. representative
- John Marchand, mayor, city of Livermore
- Mark Salinas, mayor, city of Hayward
- Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association
For Wahab
- Gavin Newsom, California governor
- Liz Ortega, California Assembly member
- Yesenia Sanchez, sheriff, Alameda County
- California Democratic Party
- California Federation of Labor Unions