Swalwell Suspends Gubernatorial Campaign Amid Misconduct Allegations
California Representative Eric Swalwell has halted his campaign to succeed Gavin Newsom as governor following serious allegations of sexual misconduct that emerged over the weekend.
His campaign took a significant hit after multiple women accused him of inappropriate behavior, including one former staff member who claimed to have experienced non-consensual acts. Swalwell announced his decision to suspend the campaign on social media.
I will suspend my campaign for governor.
To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I deeply apologize for the errors in judgment I made in the past.
I will fight against the serious false allegations that have been made. But that’s my fight, not a campaign.
— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) April 13, 2026
In his statement, Swalwell expressed regret to those close to him for his past mistakes, saying, “I will fight against the serious false allegations that have been made, but that is my fight, not the campaign.”
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has initiated an investigation into one of the allegations, which reportedly involves an incident after a charity event in 2024 linked to a former staff member. According to reports, she claimed she found Swalwell in bed with her when she woke up from being intoxicated.
She recounted an alarming experience where she said, “I was saying no and pushing him away. He didn’t stop.”
Additionally, she alleged that in September 2019 while at the district office, she woke up naked next to him in a hotel room. Investigations into this claim are ongoing.
Another accuser, the Democratic social media influencer Allie Sammarco, has alleged that Swalwell sent her unsolicited explicit photos, with messages that became “highly inappropriate,” including comments on her attractiveness and vague suggestions of meeting up.
As these allegations gained traction, several Democrats urged Swalwell to withdraw from the race to replace Newsom, who is term-limited. This isn’t Swalwell’s first time facing allegations related to personal conduct; he previously faced scrutiny regarding a rumored relationship with Christine Huang, who allegedly had ties to a Chinese security agency. Swalwell has consistently denied any wrongdoing in that situation.
