Swalwell Faces Setback in Gubernatorial Campaign Amid Allegations
Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign took a significant hit on Friday as two co-chairs and several influential supporters withdrew their backing in light of sexual assault allegations. Reports surfaced detailing claims made by a former employee who asserts that Swalwell assaulted her on two occasions, specifically in 2019 and 2024, emphasizing that she was intoxicated and unable to give consent.
In response, Swalwell issued a statement denying the accusations. He stated, “These claims are false and were made on the eve of an election against the front-runner for governor. I have served the public for nearly 20 years as a prosecutor and lawmaker and have always protected women. I will protect myself with the facts and take legal action if necessary. My focus in the coming days, along with my wife and children, is to protect our decades of service from these lies.”
On Thursday night, Swalwell’s attorneys sent a cease-and-desist letter to the accuser, describing her claims of assault and nonconsensual touching as “false statements” and threatening legal action if they weren’t retracted.
However, initial reports indicated that this controversy has unsettled his campaign’s stability, as some allies have pulled their support and are urging Swalwell to withdraw from the race.
Representative Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) made his withdrawal public, stating, “In light of the recent allegations against Congressman Eric Swalwell, I am withdrawing my support for his gubernatorial campaign.”
Additionally, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) stepped down as a co-chair of Swalwell’s campaign, and the situation escalated further when Rep. Adam Gray (D-Calif.) also resigned from his position, publicly encouraging Swalwell to reconsider his candidacy.
The fallout reached the Senate as well, with prominent allies like Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) withdrawing their support; Gallego even characterized the allegations as “indefensible.”
Swalwell’s campaign also suffered losses among key institutional supporters. Major advocacy organizations, including the California Medical Association and the California Teachers Association, announced via social media that they would no longer support him.
The situation escalated when CNN confirmed and expanded on the original report, presenting allegations from four additional women describing various instances of sexual misconduct. Swalwell has outright denied these newer claims as well.
Cheyenne Hunt, a lawyer and executive director of Gen Z for Change, commented that she is “working with many women who are coming forward and sharing their stories of sexual harassment and even abuse at the hands of Eric Swalwell.”
The departures of co-chairs Gray and Gomez, alongside the withdrawal of support from notable senators, suggest that the Democratic establishment is actively distancing itself from Swalwell amid these serious allegations. In a solidly Democratic state like California, analysts contend that losing endorsements from the “party machine” could severely jeopardize his ability to maintain a competitive campaign.
