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Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell has unexpectedly withdrawn from the California governor’s race and announced his intention to resign from Congress, creating a flurry of activity among his competitors who are now vying for his supporters in an already competitive field. This development adds another layer of complexity to the race for leadership in the United States’ most populous state.
Swalwell’s decision came after allegations of sexual assault were reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN, alleging two incidents involving a woman who once worked for him. In a statement on social media platform X, Swalwell denied the allegations, stating, “I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made – but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
On Monday, Swalwell further communicated on X that he plans to step down from his congressional role, though he did not specify when this would occur. He expressed that his constituents deserve an undistracted representative.
As the race continues, the focus has shifted to where Swalwell’s supporters will align themselves. Given his prominence among Democrats, gaining their support could be crucial as mail-in ballots are distributed to voters in early May ahead of the June 2 primary. Notably, all major candidates are set to appear at a forum in Sacramento on Tuesday.
Katie Porter, a leading Democratic contender, highlighted a San Francisco Chronicle column on X, suggesting that Democrats could rally around her to achieve victory. Meanwhile, Tom Steyer, a former hedge fund manager turned liberal activist, announced securing the endorsement of Rep. Jared Huffman, whose district is near Swalwell’s. Additionally, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa released a new advertisement focused on reducing the high cost of living in California.
With seven established Democrats and two leading Republicans on a primary ballot with more than 50 candidates, the race remains fluid. While Swalwell has suspended his campaign, his name cannot be removed from the ballot.
“Nobody has really caught fire,” said Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta, who is not involved in the campaign. Swalwell’s supporters “will scatter out to other candidates.”
Many voters remain distant from governor’s race
Swalwell is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial during his first term in early 2021. But in a media environment dominated by Trump, the race remains distant from many California voters.
After the publicity about sexual misconduct allegations, “I think there are probably more people who know who Eric Swalwell is than can articulate a Tom Steyer position paper,” Acosta added.
Swalwell was considered a leading contender along with fellow Democrats Steyer and Porter and two Republicans, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton, who landed Trump’s endorsement. But Republican activists haven’t yet rallied around Hilton; at a California Republican Party convention over the weekend the party declined to endorse.
Democrats have feared the party’s large number of candidates could lead to them getting shut out of the general election in November. That’s because California has a top-two primary system in which two candidates advance to the general election, regardless of party.
Swalwell had become a clear target for his Democratic rivals as he began to lock up institutional support. Some had seized on rumors of sexual misconduct that circulated on social media for weeks before the Chronicle’s report.
The San Francisco Chronicle spoke to a woman who alleged Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019, when she worked for him, and again in 2024. The woman said she did not go to police at the time of the assaults because she was afraid she would not be believed. In both cases the woman said she was too intoxicated to consent to sex. CNN reported on allegations that appeared to come from the same woman, and spoke to several other women who accused Swalwell of other sexual misconduct.
Neither outlet named the woman, and The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify her account and identity. Her lawyer declined to comment.
The alleged 2024 incident occurred in New York, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said it’s investigating. That office urged anyone with knowledge to contact its special victims division. The Alameda County District Attorney’s office, which covers Swalwell’s California district, said no one has reached out to the office with allegations against Swalwell.
House colleagues call for Swalwell to resign
As Swalwell’s campaign flailed over the weekend, Huffman and fellow California Reps. Ro Khanna and Sam Liccardo said Swalwell should resign, as did Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.
“This is not a partisan issue,” Jayapal said Sunday. “This cuts across party lines. And it is depravity of the way that women have been treated.”
Some representatives said they would support the rare step of expelling him from the U.S. House should he refuse to step aside. The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation Monday.
It all added to the mounting political pressure on Swalwell, which began with allies like Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Jimmy Gomez cutting their support. Gomez had helped run Swalwell’s campaign and said he was immediately ending his role.
Swalwell, who is originally from Iowa, was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters.
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Associated Press writer Sophie Austin in Sacramento contributed.
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