A United States Representative, Eric Swalwell, announced on Sunday that he is suspending his campaign for California governor following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations that quickly unraveled his bid, triggering staff resignations and the withdrawal of key political support.
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” he posted on X. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made, but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
Once viewed as a strong contender in a crowded race ahead of the June 2 nonpartisan primary, Swalwell’s campaign was thrown into crisis after reports by CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday detailed accusations from multiple women alleging sexual misconduct. Swalwell has firmly denied all claims.
One former staffer alleged that the congressman raped her in 2024 in New York City after she had left his office.
She told CNN the incident occurred while she was heavily intoxicated.
“I was pushing him off of me, saying no,” the woman said. “He didn’t stop.”
Authorities have since begun reviewing the claims.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed it is investigating the alleged assault, while the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said it is assessing whether any related incidents occurred within its jurisdiction, including a separate allegation dating back to 2019.
Three additional women also accused Swalwell of inappropriate behaviour, including sending unsolicited explicit messages or nude images. He has denied all allegations.
The fallout was immediate. Prominent allies, including Jimmy Gomez, Ruben Gallego, and Adam Schiff, withdrew their support.
An independent group backing his candidacy also shut down operations.
The race, already drawing national interest, is now more unpredictable. Key Democratic figures still in contention include Tom Steyer, Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Matt Mahan.
Republican hopefuls include Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton.
Mahan reacted strongly to Swalwell’s exit, posting on X, “Eric Swalwell is done. Done abusing women. Done climbing the political ladder. Done,” Mahan wrote. “Exiting a race you should never have entered deserves no credit. It is an overdue acknowledgment of what the brave survivors who came forward already made clear: Eric Swalwell represented the worst of politics.”
Questions also remain about Swalwell’s future in Congress. Several Democrats have called for his resignation, including Eugene Vindman, who said, “We should not tolerate this behaviour. Rep. Eric Swalwell needs to go.”
Similarly, Pramila Jayapal stated she would support expulsion proceedings against both Swalwell and Tony Gonzales, who is also facing a separate ethics investigation.
Adding to the pressure, more than 50 former Swalwell staffers signed a letter urging him to withdraw from the race and resign from Congress.
“The allegations reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN are serious, credible, and demand accountability,” the letter stated. “We stand unequivocally with our colleague, who showed extraordinary courage in coming forward to share her truth. We believe her.”
