Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell announced this week that he’s leaving Congress and the crowded contest for California governor following sexual assault allegations, which he denies, and a swift exodus of his supporters.
Days ago, the 45-year-old congressman was among a group of leading Democrats in the race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who cannot seek a third term at the helm of the nation’s most populous state.
Swalwell’s campaign unraveled within about 48 hours after the San Francisco Chronicle reported allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him. Later Friday, CNN reported that other women accused him of various forms of sexual misconduct.
He suspended his gubernatorial campaign on Sunday, saying in a social media post, “I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter and billionaire financier Tom Steyer, a 2020 presidential candidate, are among other top Democrats seeking to snatch up Swalwell’s former backers as the primary approaches without a clear front-runner.
Swalwell said Monday he would leave Congress on his own terms as bipartisan lawmakers pushed for a vote to expel him.
Allegations include sexual assault, nude photos and explicit messages
The San Francisco Chronicle interviewed a woman who alleged that Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019, when he was her boss, and again in 2024. She said she was too intoxicated to consent to sex in both cases and did not go to police at the time because she was afraid she would not be believed.
CNN reported allegations that appeared to come from the same woman. Neither outlet named her, and her lawyer declined to comment. CNN also spoke to several other women who accused Swalwell of sending them explicit messages and nude photos.
Swalwell has maintained that the allegations are false. He said Monday it would be unfair to his constituents if he remained in Congress while he’s distracted from his duties.
California governor’s race remains fluid
Swalwell’s exit from the race presents an opening for his former rivals to pick up support ahead of the June 2 primary.
Democrats Steyer and Porter, and two leading Republicans, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, are among those vying for just two spots on the November ballot.
Under California’s primary system, only the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation. There are still seven established Democrats on the primary ballot. Newsom has acknowledged fears within the party that those candidates could split the vote, opening a path for a Republican to hold the top office in one of the nation’s most solidly Democratic states.
Swalwell’s departure narrows the field among top Democrats, but it’s too late for his name to be removed from the primary ballot. It’s still possible — though a long shot — that the two leading Republicans could lock out Democrats in November.
Special congressional election to come
Swalwell, a seven-term lawmaker, did not say when he would leave the U.S. House. Once he does, the governor must call a special election in Swalwell’s district “within 14 calendar days of the occurrence of the vacancy,” according to California election law.
His announcement came as the House Ethics Committee said it had begun investigating whether Swalwell engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee he supervised. The future of the investigation is uncertain, as the committee often stops investigating when lawmakers resign.
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas also announced Monday that he would retire from Congress after bipartisan calls to expel him. Several lawmakers had suggested expelling both Swalwell and Gonzales in an even trade-off for the parties.
Swalwell, who is originally from Iowa, was first elected to Congress in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential bid in April 2019 but dropped out after just a few months. Swalwell served as a House manager in Trump’s second impeachment trial in early 2021 and played a role in investigating ties between Trump associates and Russian officials as a member of the House Intelligence Committee.
