Democratic candidate who supported Republicans leads fundraising race in bid for Swalwell seat

The race to fill beleaguered former Congressman Eric Swalwell's seat is getting expensive, with Democratic candidate and nonprofit attorney Rakhi Israni, who previously donated to Republicans and right-wing figures such as Laura Loomer, reporting a fundraising haul in the millions.

While most of the candidates running have raised well under $1 million, Israni reported she has raised $2,123,994, with more than $2 million still on hand, according to fundraising reports released this week by the Federal Elections Commission. The reports detailed funds received between Jan. 1 and March 31.

Her finance reports also include $1.2 million in personal funds she loaned to her own campaign.

"We have a lot of first-time donors, donors who have not been involved in the political process before," Israni told this news organization.

Records show more than half of those donations came from out of state.

Of her more than 500 donations, 266 came from California, 100 from Texas, 56 from Georgia and 30 from Florida. Donors from New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Indiana, Virginia, New Hampshire and elsewhere also have contributed to Israni's campaign.

When asked how she connected with so many donors outside California, Israni said her campaign has become a "national movement," claiming her donors recognize that her "track record speaks for itself."

Running as a Democrat, Israni previously donated to several right-wing personalities and organizations, including a $260.73 donation to Loomer – a self-proclaimed "Islamaphobe" and close ally of President Donald Trump.

"That was a mistake," Israni said. "I did not do the research on who she is and I completely own that."

In August 2022, Israni donated $1,500 to U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel, a Southern California Republican who championed the reversal of Roe. v. Wade. She also donated $150 to WINRED, a Republican-backed political group.

Israni donated $1,000 to Tulsi Gabbard's Defend Freedom political group in 2024 – Gabbard currently serves as the U.S. director of national intelligence under the Trump administration. In 2024, Gabbard, a former Democrat, announced she was joining the Republican Party.

On June 28, 2025, Israni donated $3,500 to Republican candidate Vin Kruttiventi's campaign, who is running in the Central Valley's adjacent 13th Congressional District race against incumbent Democrat Adam Gray.

"He's a friend," Israni said.

Israni told this news organization that between 2022 and 2025 she was registered as "No Party Preference," despite re-registering as a Democrat last year. She is currently campaigning as a lifelong Democrat.

As a political newcomer who has no experience in elected office, Israni's past donations and party flip-flop could be troubling for some voters, according to Menlo College Political Science Professor Melissa Michelson.

"If you're a Democrat, you want to be represented by a Democrat," Michelson said. "You want to make sure that they're really going to be voting with the Democrats."

Michelson said having a lot of money won't simply win over voters if they feel a candidate is trying to buy an election. She said if Israni "is able to use her funds to start to be a viable candidate in this race, I think the other Democrats in this race would have a pretty easy time of sewing doubt into voters' minds that she is a not good choice, if nothing else except her past history of support for MAGA Republicans."

"These rich folks, they come and they spend their money and it usually doesn't work," Michelson said. "Because voters, on the one hand, like the idea that somebody can't be bought. But on the other hand, they don't really like the idea of somebody trying to buy an election."

Nine candidates, including Israni, are competing to represent the 14th Congressional District in the June 2 primary. A separate special election will be held on June 16 to fill the remaining months of Swalwell's current term.

Gov. Gavin Newsom called for the special election after accusations of sexual assault and misconduct made against Swalwell forced him to resign from Congress and withdraw from the race to be California's next governor.

The top two vote-getters in the first primary, regardless of political party, will move on to a November runoff and replace the victor of the special election, if different, come January 2027.

Along with Israni, those looking to replace Swalwell in the June 2 primary include state Sen. Aisha Wahab, BART Board President Melissa Hernandez, San Leandro Councilmember Victor Aguilar Jr., businesswoman Carin Elam, graphic designer Matt Ortega, real estate investor Wendy Huang, business owner Dena Maldonado, and lawyer Suzanne Chenault.

It is still unclear which candidates will run in the June 16 primary. Wahab previously confirmed she was planning to run in both.

Wahab reported she has raised about $251,588 so far, with about $229,345 on hand. Hernandez has raised about $234,373, with $139,160 on hand.

"That support means so much because it reflects something deeper," Wahab said in a statement to this news organization. "Our community wants to heal, come together, and be represented by someone with experience that cares about this district."

Hernandez did not respond to a request for comment.

Elam has raised $29,496, which included a $25,000 personal loan to her campaign – she has $9,664 on hand. Ortega has raised $26,036 and has $8,578 on hand. Aguilar raised $5,326 and has $4,435 on hand.

Finance reports for Maldonado and Huang, the two Republican candidates, and Chenault, a nonpartisan candidate, were not publicly available by Friday on the FEC's online database.

(Staff writer Grace Hase contributed reporting to this story.)

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 7:58 PM.