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Challenger Melissa Hernandez has outraised incumbent Aisha Wahab by nearly $900,000 in the Congressional District 14 race, according to campaign finance records.
Hernandez had raised about $2.1 million this year as of Oct. 14, while Wahab reported raising about $1.2 million in the same period, records show. Hernandez has also outspent Wahab, with records showing about $2 million in expenditures for Hernandez through Oct. 14, compared to about $752,200 for Wahab.
The Nov. 3 election will be the second time the candidates have faced off to represent District 14, which includes Pleasanton, Livermore and part of Dublin.
Wahab, a former state senator and Hayward City Councilmember, defeated Hernandez, a former Dublin mayor, who currently serves as the board president for BART and as a healthcare director for Alameda County Supervisors District 1 under Supervisor David Haubert, in an Aug. 18 special runoff election. Wahab earned about 53% of the vote. The seat became vacant when Eric Swalwell resigned amid multiple allegations of sexual abuse.Â
The two drew attention for a tense Oct. 7 debate in which Hernandez accused Wahab of “having communications with the Taliban.” In an Instagram post the following day, Wahab called the remark a “racist dog whistle.”
Hernandez issued a statement clarifying that she opposed establishing diplomatic relations with the Taliban, referring to an interview in which Wahab said that regardless of who is in power in Afghanistan, the U.S. should be “exercising diplomacy and having a relationship” that ideally steers them toward human rights, women’s rights and civil rights in general.
Locals among donors for both candidates
The majority of both candidates’ campaign contributions have come from California. Hernandez also reported receiving about $197,200 in donations from New York state and about $154,800 from Florida. After California, Wahab raised the most money from Texas, $14,000, into September, according to the most recently processed data from the FEC.
The Federal Election Commission places limits on contributions to candidate committees in federal elections, ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 per election, depending on whether the contribution comes from an individual, a political action committee, a candidate committee or party committee.
Hernandez’s donors included the Hindu American Political Action Committee, Elect Democratic Women, AmeriPac: The Fund for a Greater America and the California Leadership United for Victory PAC, among others.
Hernandez reported receiving about 260 contributions from Tri-Valley donors, including $1,000 from Sunflower Hill founder Susan Houghton, $1,050 from Tri-Valley Haven Executive Director Christine Dillman and $250 from Three Valleys Community Foundation CEO and President Kelly Bowers.
Her donors also included several local elected officials, including Livermore school board trustee Craig Bueno, who gave $250; Livermore Mayor John Marchand, who gave $350; and Pleasanton Mayor Jack Balch, who donated $5,500 toward Hernandez’s special election campaign and $3,500 for the June primary election.
Other donors included Haubert’s wife, Michele Haubert; Darcie Kent Vineyards co-owner Darcie Kent; Wente Family Vineyards vice chairperson Philip Wente; Pleasanton City Council candidate Reena Gupta; Cox Family Stores owner Carl Cox; realtor Mony Nop; lawyer Sblend Sblendorio; and Shea Homes community development manager David Best.
“I am grateful for all of my supporters who are generous enough to donate because they believe in my mission of a more affordable district and safer communities,” she told the Pleasanton Weekly on Friday.
Records show Wahab donated $38,500 of her own money toward her primary campaign. She’s also received financial support from Progressive Voters of America, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Political Action Committee and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, among others.
She has received contributions from about 80 Tri-Valley donors, including $200 from Livermore school board candidate Tara Boyce; $250 from Alameda County Board of Education member Cheryl Cook-Kallio; $500 from Dublin Councilmember Michael McCorriston; $550 from Livermore Valley Arts director Jean King; $525 from Dublin school board candidate Seema Badar; and $300 from Livermore Vice Mayor Kristie Wang.
Wahab did not respond to multiple requests for comment on her fundraising.
Outside dollars influence campaigns
There is no cap on independent expenditures, which come from outside a candidate’s election organization and are not coordinated with their campaign.
The United Democracy Project, the super PAC of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobbying group, in August reported spending about $2.5 million in 2026 against Wahab and in support of Hernandez, according to FEC filings.
The Committee For Working Families, Sponsored by Labor Organizations spent about $684,000 in support of Wahab.
The FEC requires campaign committees to file a separate disclosure within 48 hours of contributions higher than $1,000 received Oct. 15-31.
As of Nov. 2, Wahab’s campaign committee reported receiving an additional $48,700 in that period, with Hernandez’s campaign reporting $13,100.
In September, Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley— who serves with Hernandez’s boss, Haubert — filed a complaint with the FEC accusing Wahab of violating campaign finance law. Wahab denied all accusations. A separate complaint has since been sent to Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson alleging Wahab violated state law by improperly reporting campaign expenditures.
