Endorsed by CA DSA

When now-Mayor of Oakland Barbara Lee stepped down from the House in 2024 to run for Senate, many worried about the loss of her progressive, anti-imperialist voice. But since her election, Lateefah Simon has done well to fill her shoes and uphold the tradition of Black radicalism left by Lee and Ron Dellums before her. Simon, a powerful orator if you've attended one of the many protests and rallies she's spoken at, has been outspoken on left-wing issues, domestic and international alike, including Palestine, and she is undeniably the most left-wing member of California’s House delegation. Though we hope to one day have a DSA member in this seat, the East Bay will do well to re-elect Simon.

State Senator Aisha Wahab, a strong progressive voice in the state legislature, especially for tenants’ rights, has emerged as the clear frontrunner. She's endorsed by the Working Families Party and Our Revolution but also by the Democratic Party. Wahab was one of the first Afghan-American elected officials in the country when she was elected to the Hayward City Council in 2018, and if she wins this race, she will be the first Afghan-American in Congress and one of very few Muslim members of the House (there have only been five total ever). She has two main Democratic rivals, both running clearly to her right. BART Board Director Melissa Hernandez has garnered support from local mayors, County Supervisors, and police unions, including DSA’s evil doppelganger (the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association). But the most concerning candidate is Rakhi Israni, a longtime Hindu nationalist activist with a history of ties to far-right Republicans.

Dual recommendation with Monica Sanchez