State Sen. Aisha Wahab quietly filed federal paperwork earlier this week that signals she may be eyeing the East Bay’s open 14th Congressional District, a move that would put her hard-won state Senate seat at risk. The filing is dated on Monday, and Wahab’s campaign is keeping things close to the vest for now, saying only that they will talk about any plans in a formal announcement.
According to San José Spotlight, the federal paperwork sets up a committee for a potential House run and notes it could remain on the shelf until 2028. A campaign spokesperson told the outlet they would be “happy to discuss during a formal announcement,” which is political-speak for: stay tuned.
Swalwell's Run Opens a Rare Open Seat
Rep. Eric Swalwell’s decision to leave Congress for a governor’s race has blown open a safely Democratic Bay Area district and set off the usual behind-the-scenes jostling. As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, Swalwell announced his gubernatorial bid on television in November, instantly turning his House seat into one of the region’s most closely watched political prizes.
What This Would Mean for Bay Area Politics
Wahab represents the 10th Senate District, covering Hayward, Union City, Newark, Fremont, Milpitas and parts of San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, so a jump to Congress would reshape politics across two counties. The district page on Wahab’s official site lists those cities and shows the seat spans both Alameda and Santa Clara counties.
Santa Clara County Democratic Party Chair Bill James told San José Spotlight that Wahab’s Hayward base could make the seat a good fit, but he also warned that an open SD-10 would likely draw a crowded field. In other words, one move from Wahab could trigger two separate political free-for-alls.
Who's Already Lining Up
Even before Wahab makes a call, the early jockeying for CA-14 has started. Attorney Qadir Abrar and political organizer Matt Ortega are among those reported to have filed or announced, and public trackers are already flagging additional would-be contenders. The Down Ballot’s Morning Digest has cataloged Ortega’s announcement and listed Abrar among the first wave of entrants, an early sign that this will not be a sleepy contest.
Wahab's Record in Sacramento
Wahab has already built a statewide profile in Sacramento, backing a slate of bills that helped put her on the radar for higher office. That includes measures targeting nonconsensual AI-generated sexual imagery and efforts to bolster protections for disabled survivors.
Her office’s news release on an AI safety package details SB 926 and SB 981 as key planks of that effort, while SB 258, known as Justice for Disabled Spouses, is laid out in full in official legislative records. Senator Wahab’s office and the public bill tracker LegiScan provide the detailed breakdowns.
For now, the Jan. 5 filing looks more like an exploratory step than an official launch. Local observers say the timing of any announcement will heavily influence who jumps into both the congressional race and a potentially open SD-10. Political watchers are already gaming out how the district’s split geography, straddling Silicon Valley and the East Bay, plus an increasingly busy early field, could speed up the scramble, as reflected in coverage from The Down Ballot.
