Media

Text updated July 19th; Videos updated July 21st; Photos updated July 23rd

Summary:

Voters need to hear both negative and positive messaging.

Overview:

Aisha Wahab has repeatedly sided with criminals over public safety. She weakened a law so adults who solicit 16- and 17-year-olds for sex avoided felony charges, a loophole so serious that Governor Newsom publicly denounced her amendment. Wahab also blocked a bipartisan fentanyl bill that would have held drug dealers accountable when their drugs kill someone.

Melissa Hernandez is a single mom and the daughter of migrant farmworkers. The first Latina Mayor of Dublin, she expanded affordable housing, created jobs, hired more police officers, and kept the city financially strong while delivering results for working families without raising taxes. Melissa knows the challenges families face because she’s lived them. She’s running for Congress to lower costs, protect healthcare, and put working people ahead of the powerful interests that too often call the shots in Washington. She’s endorsed by firefighters and police.

For Positive Messaging:

Key demographic groups:

• Women Democrats
• NPP Women
• Women under age 50
• Latinas
• Voters in the Tri-Valley

Messaging: 

• She grew up in farmworker housing, then put herself through college as a single mom to build a better life for her kids
• As Mayor of Dublin, she created jobs, attracted new businesses, and balanced the budget without raising taxes
• As a Director of Health Services for Alameda County, she helped keep local hospitals open in the wake of Trump’s budget cuts
• Led the effort to establish the Tri-Valley’s first substance use treatment center
• Oversaw one of the largest housing expansions in the region, building affordable housing for seniors and residents with disabilities, creating new neighborhoods near transit and jobs, and securing renter protections
• Increased the number of police officers
• Created partnerships with behavioral health professionals to help police de-escalate conflict with people experiencing mental health crises, while still holding violent offenders accountable

For Contrast Messaging:

Key voters need to see and read about the stark contrast between Melissa and her opponent: 

• AAPI voters
• Voters in Hayward, Fremont, and Union City

Voters need to see and read about the stark contrast between Melissa and her opponent: 

• Melissa is endorsed by firefighters and police. She hired more police officers and expanded mental health access. By contrast, Wahab has repeatedly sided with criminals over public safety. She weakened a law so adults who solicit 16- and 17-year-olds for sex avoided felony charges, and she blocked a bipartisan fentanyl bill that would have held drug dealers accountable when their drugs kill someone
• Melissa understands the struggles of working families, because she’s lived them. By contrast, Wahab’s record has made it harder for working families to get ahead. She opposed more housing near transit, sided with developers over tenants which led to families being evicted, voted against COVID relief for struggling small businesses, and was one of the only Democrats to oppose a bipartisan electricity affordability bill.
• Melissa is the effective leader we need in Congress. She has delivered results for our region – expanded housing, attracted new businesses and jobs, and improved public safety, all without raising any taxes. By contrast, Aisha Wahab is known for picking political fights, not for getting things done for voters. The San Francisco Chronicle described Wahab as someone who frequently clashes with allies and opponents alike.

For Turnout:

Turning out moderate voters will be critical to consolidating Melissa’s support

• Dem +1 households
• Pure NPP households
• Rep +1 households
• Pure Rep households
• Mixed households

Zip Codes – NOTE Zip Codes Are In The OLD (pre-Prop 50) District 

94544, 94568, 94536, 94538, 94587, 94541, 94539, 94550, 94560, 94577, 94546, 94566, 94578, 94551, 95377, 94555, 94588, 94545, 94602, 94580, 94619, 95391, 94579, 94505, 94542, 94552