Representative Eric Swalwell announced his withdrawal from the California gubernatorial race following reports of sexual misconduct, leading to an immediate collapse of his campaign and widespread calls for him to resign from Congress.
Withdrawal and Apology
Swalwell posted on X confirming his decision to suspend his campaign for Governor. In his statement, he apologized for past 'mistakes in judgment' but asserted that he would fight the serious allegations, stating, “that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
His withdrawal came after his campaign faced rapid collapse, marked by the departure of staffers and the withdrawal of support from prominent Democratic allies, including campaign chair Rep. Jimmy Gomez and Sens. Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff.
Allegations of Misconduct
On Friday, CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle published reports detailing allegations of sexual misconduct against Swalwell. These accusations came from four women, describing various incidents ranging from inappropriate messages to unwanted physical contact, and in one case, rape.
Key allegations reported include:
- Rape: A former staffer alleged that Swalwell raped her while she was heavily intoxicated, leaving her bruised and bleeding—an allegation Swalwell strongly denies.
- Unwanted Contact: One woman described an incident where he kissed her and touched her leg without her consent at a bar.
- Inappropriate Messages: Another accuser, social media creator Ally Sammarco, reported receiving unsolicited nude messages from him after initially connecting with him over political discussions on Twitter.
In response to the reports, Swalwell posted a video calling the allegations of sexual assault “flat false.” While acknowledging past errors, he stated, “I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past, but those mistakes are between me and my wife, and to her, I apologize deeply.”
Political Fallout and Calls to Resign
The scandal caused significant turmoil in California's political landscape. The withdrawal was met with strong criticism from political colleagues:
- Congressional Pressure: Multiple Democrats, including Virginia Rep. Eugene Vindman and Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, publicly called for Swalwell to resign from his congressional seat.
- Party Leadership: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who had previously urged Swalwell to end his candidacy, declined to comment on whether Swalwell should resign his congressional seat.
- Campaign Collapse: An independent expenditure group supporting Swalwell announced it would shut down almost immediately following the reports.
The gubernatorial race, which was drawing national attention, featured several prominent contenders, including:
- Democrats: Tom Steyer, former Rep. Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, and Antonio Villaraigosa.
- Republicans: Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton.
