The United Democracy Project, AIPAC's main super PAC, has spent close to $2.5 million to support Melissa Hernandez and oppose Aisha Wahab in California's 14th congressional district special election, with a second group linked to the super PAC spending roughly $1.8 million more, according to The Hill. The contest, set for Tuesday, pits Hernandez, a moderate Democrat and Bay Area Rapid Transit Board president, against Wahab, a progressive state senator who supports ending US military aid to Israel.
AIPAC spends over $4 million in California special election to unseat progressive Aisha Wahab
The United Democracy Project, AIPAC's main super PAC, has spent close to $2.5 million to support Melissa Hernandez and oppose Aisha Wahab in California's 14th congressional district special election, with a second group linked to the super PAC spending roughly $1.8 million more, according to The Hill. The contest, set for Tuesday, pits Hernandez, a moderate Democrat and Bay Area Rapid Transit Board president, against Wahab, a progressive state senator who supports ending US military aid to Israel.
The seat became vacant after former Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned in April following sexual misconduct allegations he has denied. Wahab finished ahead of Hernandez in the June 16 special primary, receiving 42.8% of the vote to Hernandez's 16.8%, and remains the favorite heading into Tuesday's election.
During an April debate, Wahab said 'yes' when asked whether Israel's war against Hamas constituted a genocide. Hernandez declined to give a yes-or-no answer, saying Israel had a right to defend itself following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks but that the 'destruction into Gaza has gone too far.'
Wahab, 39, the child of Afghan refugees, has centered her campaign on affordability and civil rights. Her campaign website calls for 'No More Wars!' and, citing civilian casualties in US military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya, states: 'We cannot bomb our way to lasting peace.' The site does not specifically reference the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She has received endorsements from labor unions, the California Democratic Party, and Our Revolution, the group formed by Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Hernandez, 51, a former mayor of Dublin, California, has focused on lowering costs, fighting crime, and public safety. She has received endorsements from several police and fire unions and from Democratic Jewish Reps. Lois Frankel of Florida and Brad Schneider of Illinois.
Wahab appeared Thursday on the livestream of Hasan Piker, who has faced accusations of antisemitism, where she said she would have voted for the Stop the Bombs Act and supported ending all US aid to Israel, while adding that 'humanitarian aid is important to me too.' She also cited a September 2025 resolution she co-authored with Jewish state Senator Scott Wiener calling for the 'end to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the immediate release of all hostages,' which was signed by members of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus.
On the opposing spending side, Wahab has received $200,000 from American Priorities, a pro-Palestinian PAC formed as a counterweight to AIPAC, and $100,000 from the liberal pro-Israel lobby J Street Action Fund, which announced its support on Thursday. The race follows a costly defeat for AIPAC-aligned spending in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary involving Abdul El-Sayed.
- The source does not state AIPAC's or the United Democracy Project's own explanation for the level of spending in this race.
- The source does not state Bold America's relationship to the United Democracy Project beyond saying Bold America 'has received funding' from it.
- The source does not state the total fundraising figures for either candidate's campaign committees.
- The source does not state the specific nature of the sexual misconduct allegations against former Rep. Eric Swalwell beyond noting he has denied them.
- The source does not state what specific accusations of antisemitism Hasan Piker has faced or their origin.
- The source does not state the outcome of AIPAC-aligned spending in prior races this cycle beyond the reference to the Michigan Senate primary defeat involving Abdul El-Sayed.
Read the original at The Jerusalem Post