CA-14 Election Questions & Answers

Written by

Vote for Wendy

in

,

Democracy Works Best When Voters Ask Questions

Our 2026 California Congressional District 14 (CA-14) Special Election has generated significant public interest and, understandably, many questions.

Why were there multiple election dates? Why did voters see both a June 2nd and June 16th Special Primary Election? How do candidate filings, endorsements, fundraising reports, and election procedures work? What information should voters rely on when evaluating candidates? Was our election affected by a ghost candidate? What responsibility does our Alameda County GOP and California Republican Party have for not advancing to November?

These and many other important questions—and voters deserve clear answers.

As a duly elected Alameda County Republican Central committeewoman, candidate for Congress, I have received numerous inquiries from voters, members of the news media, and concerned residents seeking clarification about various aspects of the CA-14 election.

Rather than relying on speculation, rumors, social media speculation, or incomplete information, I believe voters should have access to facts, public records, and official sources.

This dedicated Q&A page has been created to serve as an online resource for voters, journalists, researchers, and the public at large who wish to better understand the 2026 CA-14 election, including election procedures, campaign filings, endorsements, fundraising disclosures, and other matters of public interest.

An informed electorate is the foundation of a healthy democracy.

Voters should never feel discouraged from asking questions about candidates, election procedures, campaign finance reports, endorsements, or public records. In fact, asking questions is one of the most important responsibilities of citizenship.

Every voter has the right—and the civic duty—to seek facts, verify information, and hold candidates and public officials accountable. Transparency strengthens public trust and helps ensure that elections are conducted fairly and openly.

Whether you support me, another candidate, or remain undecided, I encourage you to be an active and informed participant in our democratic process, regardless of if you are Democratic, Republican, Libertarian or Independent

I invite you to submit and explore the questions and answers provided on this page and to review the supporting information available from official sources.

If you have a question about the CA-14 election that is not addressed here, please submit it for consideration. Additional questions and answers may be added as new information becomes available.

Together, we can promote transparency, accountability, and informed civic engagement in the 2026 CA-14 election.

Remember: Democracy is strongest when citizens ask questions, seek facts, and stay engaged.

Comments

2 responses to “CA-14 Election Questions & Answers”

  1. Henry

    Who paid the filing fees for our California Republican Party endorsed candidate Dena Maldonado?

    Reply
    1. Vote for Wendy

      Thank you for this important question. It’s still unknown and unverified as of this writing, June 20th, 2026.

      Based on the publicly available FEC reports for the CA-14 special election, Dena Maldonado (Republican) of Dublin reported $0 raised, $0 spent, and $0 cash on hand during the reporting period. The records also show no reported contributions from the California Republican Party to her campaign. As a candidate myself, I personally paid the required filing fees for both the June 2 and June 16 special elections.

      It is worth noting that a few other candidates in the race also reported $0 financial activity, including Alisha Lokelani Cordes (Democrat) of Livermore, Victor Zevallos (No Party Preference) of Washington, D.C., Suzanne Chenault (No Party Preference) of Long Barn, and Bob Wieckowski (Democrat), whose committee address is listed in Sacramento.

      However, unlike Dena Maldonado, these candidates were not the California Republican Party’s endorsed candidate.

      By comparison, other active candidates reported substantial campaign activity. Melissa Hernandez (Democrat) of San Jose reported approximately $498,000 raised. Rakhi Israni (Democrat) of Fremont reported approximately $2.18 million raised, including a $1.2 million candidate loan. Aisha Wahab (Democrat), whose committee is based in Sacramento, reported approximately $501,000 raised. Matt Ortega (Democrat), also with a Sacramento-based committee, reported approximately $33,000 raised. Sheriene Ridenour (Democrat) of Castro Valley reported approximately $37,000 raised. Carin Elam (Democrat) of Pleasanton reported approximately $31,000 raised, including a $25,000 candidate loan. Abrar Qadir (Democrat) of Pleasanton reported approximately $27,000 raised. I, Wendy Huang (Republican) of Union City, reported approximately $33,000 raised, including a $23,307 candidate loan.

      It is also worth comparing this to another California Republican Party–endorsed congressional candidate in a neighboring district. In California’s 13th Congressional District, Republican Kevin Lincoln, the California Republican Party’s endorsed candidate, reported approximately $1.48 million in campaign receipts. That level of fundraising reflects a significant and active campaign operation. The contrast between a Republican-endorsed candidate reporting nearly $1.5 million raised and a Republican-endorsed candidate reporting $0 in fundraising and $0 in expenditures is a question voters may reasonably ask party leaders to explain.

      I believe voters deserve transparency and accountability from everyone seeking public office, regardless of party affiliation. The public record shows that most active candidates in the race reported fundraising, candidate loans, expenditures, or some combination thereof. Given that Dena Maldonado was the California Republican Party–endorsed candidate, it is fair for voters to ask why her campaign reported no fundraising, no expenditures, and no financial activity during the reporting period, while other active candidates—and even other Republican Party–endorsed congressional candidates in nearby districts—were reporting substantial campaign operations and financial disclosures.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

More posts