(DUBLIN, Calif.) – U.S. Representative Aisha Wahab and BART Board President Melissa Hernandez clashed over campaign financing, drug enforcement, and public safety during an October 7 debate for California’s 14th Congressional District in Dublin.
The candidates first discussed the impact of artificial intelligence and data centers on Americans. Both candidates argued that AI data centers should be regulated. Hernandez said that while data centers might be important, decisions about them should be made at the local level.
The candidates also discussed housing affordability. Hernandez said the biggest problem is for people to obtain a down payment for a home and that we need to “incentivize cities that are building housing to bring money down to the cities who are doing the work.” Wahab said the “average person cannot compete” when it comes to living costs, and called senior citizens a “fast-growing homeless demographic.” She said that she will work to prevent that.
Photo Credit: YouTube / Dublin Chamber of Commerce / Image of Aisha Wahab
During a discussion about campaign financing and endorsements, Hernandez accused her opponent of taking money from large companies that Wahab claims to oppose. Wahab did not directly address the accusation during the exchange. While Wahab has said she opposed corporate dollars for her campaign, Hernandez accused Wahab of lying and taking corporate money in her reports. An FEC complaint filed on May 6 by Alameda County District 4 Representative Nathan Miley alleges that “Dr. Wahab directed or spent federally impermissible ‘soft money,’” and “failed to report an illegal in-kind contribution received." The allegations in the complaint do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing.
Separately, Wahab filed an FEC complaint in August, alleging that social media bots were interfering in the election process.
When asked about healthcare, Wahab said the “American healthcare system is broken.” She added that “we need to unbundle healthcare from small business,” arguing that healthcare should not “be dependent on whether you have a job or not.” Wahab also stated that healthcare costs “should not burden small businesses.”
When the topic changed to drug enforcement, Wahab said that, as chair of public safety, she helped advance a legislative package that increased penalties for drug-related crimes. Called the “California package,” Wahab said that it “increased the penalties to drug dealers and drug traffickers as it relates to fentanyl,” and helped make drug trafficking a felony. She said she will continue to fight against drug dealers.
Photo Credit: YouTube / Dublin Chamber of Commerce / Image of Melissa Hernandez
Hernandez, however, accused Wahab of not holding drug dealers accountable when delivering drugs to teenagers. Wahab responded by saying she was the head of safety, “the chair does not make the motion at all…as chair, we are supposed to vote on the bill at hand.” She said that a colleague led the motion. Wahab also noted that she was the one who pushed to make human trafficking a felony, working with a Republican author to do so.
On safety, Hernandez said she values public safety, that it should be a top priority, and that crime has decreased on BART. Wahab stated that despite crime numbers going down statistically, “theft is actually up on BART,” and the “state had to come in to give hundreds of millions of dollars to elevate BART in itself.”
According to “BART Watch” figures in the agency's most recent monthly Chief's Report, 118 incidents classified as “Robbery/Theft” were reported from January through July 2026, compared with 103 during the same period in 2025. That represents an increase of 15 incidents, or approximately 14.6%.
In her closing statement, Hernandez said she will prioritize affordability and public safety, calling for “those bad actors” to be held "accountable.” Wahab said her goal was to “prioritize the everyday American in my district, prioritize my district, bring resources to my district, and elevate the work of this district.”
To add to or correct any information in this report, please contact me at stefan.p@lead4earth.org.
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