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WASHINGTON: Aisha Wahab, a California state senator, has won a special election, becoming the first Afghan American elected to Congress.
Wahab, a Democrat and prominent member of the party’s progressive wing, defeated fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez in a closely fought election in California’s 14th Congressional District, overcoming millions of dollars in outside spending directed against her campaign. The result was formally announced on Thursday.
Her victory gives Afghan Americans and Muslims a new presence on Capitol Hill while highlighting the growing influence of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
Wahab had been widely expected to win. She finished more than 25 percentage points ahead of Hernandez in the June primary, but the final contest proved much closer. With most of the votes counted, Wahab led by roughly six percentage points.
