Eric Swalwell suspends campaign for CA governor’s seat amid sexual assault allegations

OAKLAND, Calif. – East Bay Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell announced on Sunday afternoon that he will suspend his campaign for California governor amid numerous allegations of sexual assault. 

Swalwell made the announcement on X while again denying the allegations and vowing to fight them.

“To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said. “I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”

The allegations

What we know:

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, one woman – who was not named – worked for Swalwell for two years and alleged she had sexual encounters with him during her employment. 

She told the outlet that Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions when she was too intoxicated to consent. She also alleged that Swalwell messaged her on social media, sending explicit photos and asking her for nude photos.

CNN also reported Friday that three more women have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct.

Damage done

Dig deeper:

Polls showed Swalwell among the top Democratic contenders in the race for governor, alongside fellow Democrat and billionaire Tom Steyer. 

However, the reports of the alleged sexualt assault – which were released Friday – prompted a wave of condemnation from Swalwell’s opponents and calls for him to drop out of the race.

The calls for Swalwell to drop out were coupled with several major supporters – such as the California Teachers Association and SEIU California – rescinding their support for his candidacy,

The internal collapse of Swalwell’s campaign began almost immediately after the reports, when his campaign chair, Jimmy Gomez, resigned on Friday.

“I cannot in good conscience remain in any role with this campaign,” Gomez said. “The congressman should leave the race now so there can be full accountability without doubt, distraction, or delay.”

Bay Area representatives Sam Liccardo and Jared Huffman were among those calling on Swalwell to step down on Sunday, joining a growing list of democrats who distanced themselves from his campaign.

More than 50 former staffers also signed a letter urging Swalwell to resign from congress, calling the allegations “serious” and “credible.”

“We are appalled by his actions and stand firmly with you and every victim who has come forward,” it read. 

Political analysts say Swalwell’s departure could significantly reshape the democratic primary, opening the door for other candidates to gain ground in an already crowded field.

“Now you’ve got Steyer who may surge a bit more. Katie Porter may re-emerge as somebody in the race who may be very, very important and some of the other people in the race, Mahan may find a pathway, so taking out a major player like Eric Swalwell is is very impactful on a race like this because it’s so crowded,” said analyst Brian Sobel.