Eric Swalwell quits California governor race after sexual assault allegations
Rep. Eric Swalwell, the Democratic front-runner in California’s hotly contested gubernatorial race, has suspended his campaign amid a series of allegations of sexual assault and misconduct by a former staffer and at least three other women.
The woman who worked for Swalwell said the California congressman sexually assaulted her twice while she was too drunk to consent, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report published Friday.
Three other women also accused Swalwell of misconduct, according to CNN. The women said Swalwell sent them unsolicited nude photographs or explicit messages.
In a statement posted online, Swalwell said he would “fight the serious and false allegations that have been made – but this is my fight, not a campaign’s.”
“To my family, my team, my friends and my supporters, I am deeply sorry for the errors of judgment I have made in my past,” he said.
Swalwell, 45, has forcefully denied the allegations, calling them “false” and suggesting it was a concerted effort to derail his campaign.
“For nearly 20 years, I have served the public – as a prosecutor and a member of Congress and have always protected women. I will defend myself with facts and, if necessary, pursue legal action,” he said in an earlier statement. “My goal in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.”
The allegations come as Swalwell, married with three children, began to consolidate his support in a fluid Democratic field that had yet to produce a clear front-runner. Almost immediately, prominent allies and rivals began calling on him to withdraw from the race, with several campaign staffers quitting. California Sen. Adam Schiff, one of the most high-profile Democrats to support Swalwell’s campaign for governor, withdrew his support and called on him to withdraw from the race, as did Sen. Alex Padilla, who remained neutral in the race.
Congressmen Jimmy Gomez and Adam Gray, co-chairs of Swalwell’s campaign, resigned.
“My involvement in any campaign begins and ends with trust,” Gomez said. “I cannot in good conscience continue to play any role in this campaign and I am stepping down with immediate effect. »
In a deeply personal rebuke, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego withdrew his support and expressed regret for defending his friend against rumors about the allegations “before he knew all the information.”
Swalwell also lost the support of the powerful California Teachers Association, which said it was “immediately suspending” support for his campaign. “Our elected board of directors will meet as soon as possible to follow our union’s democratic process to determine next steps,” the union said in a statement on its Instagram account.
Swalwell, who is in his seventh term representing Northern California, gained national prominence as a pugnacious opponent of Donald Trump. An ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Swalwell was chosen to serve as impeachment manager in Trump’s second impeachment trial, centering on Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He briefly ran for president in 2020, but struggled to gain traction and withdrew before primary votes were cast.
He was among the last candidates to enter the gubernatorial race, declaring his candidacy during a November appearance on the ABC late-night show hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
His sudden departure is a shake-up amid a confusing backdrop that has left California Democrats worrying that two Republicans could advance to the general election in the nation’s largest blue state — a quirk of its idiosyncratic primary system, which rewards the top two vote-getters, regardless of party.
Recent polls have shown Swalwell in the lead, closely followed by Republican Steve Hilton, a British-born political consultant, and Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
