California Dems’ East Bay seat showdown becomes a high-stakes power struggle

A vacant East Bay House seat to replace Rep. Eric Swalwell has become a public internecine battle between Rep. Zoe Lofgren and state Sen. Aisha Wahab, with Lofgren endorsing Melissa Hernandez and accusing Wahab of blocking a caretaker plan for self-interest. The feud has drawn more than $6 million in outside spending, much of it from groups tied to AIPAC, and has exposed rifts between populist progressives and establishment Democrats, as labor unions back Wahab and private complaints (including a FEC allegation that Wahab laundered campaign funds) surface. The controversy centers on how to manage the vacancy and who should lead the district, highlighting broader battles over money in politics and the party’s direction.