Aisha Wahab
Democratic
| Website: | sd10.senate.ca.gov |
Candidate Biography:
Born: January 11, 1987 in New York, NY
University: SJSU (BA, Political Science; 2010), University of Southern California (Ph.D.; 2024)
Previous: Member, Alameda County Human Relations Commission
2018-2022: Member, Hayward City Council
2019: Woman of the Year (20th Assembly District) [selected by Bill Quirk]
2020: Early Primary Candidate for CD-15 (Withdrew)
- Biographic Note: Wahab was the first Muslim to serve in the State Senate (with Bill Essayli, elected in the same election, becoming the first to serve in the State Assembly) starting December 2022.
- One of the first Afghan-American woman elected to public office in the United States. Four years before Wahab, in 2018, Safiya Wazir was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
- Named “Inspirational Woman of the Year” by Assemblyman Kansen Chu in 2016.
- LEGISLATION: Author of SJR 7 (2023), on behalf of Gov. Gavin Newsom, which requests the United States Congress to call a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing a constitutional amendment which would; require universal background checks as a prerequisite to purchase or acquire a firearm, prohibit sales, loans, or other transfers of firearms to those under 21 years of age (with limited exceptions), establish a minimum waiting period between the purchase and delivery of a firearm, and prohibit the private possession of assault weapons and other weapons of war.
- LEGISLATION: Author of Senate Bill 403 (2023) which would have specifically prohibited discrimination based on caste. Vetoed.
- In 2019, Wahab was the target of an attempted recall led by Ashish Gawarikar. The recall failed to qualify for the ballot.