California Congressman Swalwell Withdraws From Governor's Race After Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his campaign for California governor on April 12, 2026, one day after CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle published reports in which multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct. The allegations led to the rapid withdrawal of support from key Democratic allies, including campaign chair Rep. Jimmy Gomez and Sens. Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff.

Swalwell announced his withdrawal via X, stating he was "suspending my campaign for Governor" and apologizing for "mistakes in judgment I've made in my past" while denying the allegations as "serious, false allegations." A former staffer told CNN that Swalwell raped her in 2024 in New York City after she had stopped working in his office, describing being heavily intoxicated and physically injured. Swalwell has denied all accusations.

Three additional women also spoke with CNN, alleging Swalwell sent them unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office announced it is investigating the sexual assault allegation reported to have occurred in New York. The Alameda County District Attorney's Office said it is evaluating whether alleged criminal conduct occurred in the Bay Area, where the same woman accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct in 2019.

Within hours of the reports, Swalwell's campaign collapsed. An independent expenditure group supporting him announced it would shut down. More than 50 former Swalwell staffers signed a letter on April 12 calling on him to drop out of the race and resign from Congress, writing that "the allegations reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN are serious, credible, and demand accountability."

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a fellow Democratic candidate, released a statement saying "Eric Swalwell is done. Done abusing women. Done climbing the political ladder. Done," and wrote that "exiting a race you should never have entered deserves no credit." Multiple Democratic members of Congress called for Swalwell to resign from the U.S. House, with Rep. Eugene Vindman telling CNN on April 12 that "Rep. Eric Swalwell needs to go."

Context

Swalwell had been considered a top contender in California's wide-open gubernatorial race ahead of the state's June 2 nonpartisan primary. The field includes several prominent Democrats: billionaire Tom Steyer, former Rep. Katie Porter, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Mayor Mahan. Two Republicans remain in the race: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton, who has received an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

The allegations against Swalwell parallel recent cases involving other members of Congress. Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington stated on April 12 that she would vote to expel both Swalwell and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, who is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over sexual misconduct allegations.

What's Next

It remains unclear whether Swalwell will continue serving in the U.S. House, where his term expires in January 2027. Multiple Democratic members of Congress have publicly called for his resignation, and the investigations by the Manhattan and Alameda County district attorneys will proceed independently of his campaign withdrawal. His departure from the gubernatorial race reshapes the Democratic primary field, potentially benefiting candidates like Porter and Becerra who had competed for support among progressive and establishment voters respectively.