Aisha Wahab becomes first Afghan American woman elected to U.S. Congress — Pajhwok

Aisha Wahab has won the special election for California’s 14th Congressional District, becoming the first Afghan American woman elected to the United States Congress. The special election was held to fill the seat vacated by former congressman Eric Swalwell. Wahab defeated fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez and will represent the district in the House of Representatives until the end of Swalwell’s term in January 2027. Wahab is expected to run again on Nov. 3 for a full two-year term. Born in New York City in 1987 to Afghan refugees who fled Afghanistan during the Soviet–Afghan War, Wahab spent part of her childhood in foster care after the death of her parents. She was later adopted by an Afghan American family in California’s Fremont and Hayward area. Wahab earned a doctorate in social work from the University of Southern California and later entered local politics. She was elected to the Hayward City Council in 2018 and, in 2022, became the first Muslim and first Afghan American elected to the California State Senate. She later served as assistant majority leader. Her congressional campaign faced significant spending by outside political action committees supporting her opponent or criticizing Wahab’s political record. Reports indicate that major political committees spent at least $5 million against her during the final weeks of the campaign. The American Israel Public…