Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) suspended his campaign for California governor on Sunday after multiple women accused him of sexual assault and misconduct, and more than 50 of his own former staffers publicly called for him to resign from Congress.
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell wrote in a post on X. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.”
Swalwell said he would “fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
The allegations first surfaced in reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN earlier this month. A former staffer told both outlets that Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions — once in 2019 and again in 2024. The woman said Swalwell, who is married and 17 years her senior, exposed himself to her in a vehicle on one occasion and assaulted her after a night of heavy drinking on two others. She said she woke up in his hotel bed with no memory of consenting.
Three additional women told CNN that Swalwell sent them unsolicited nude photos and graphic messages.
A group of more than 50 former Swalwell staffers responded with an open letter calling the allegations “serious, credible, and demanding accountability.” The letter called for a full investigation and urged Swalwell to step down from both the gubernatorial race and his congressional seat.
“What has been described is not a political attack,” the letter stated. “It is the account of a young woman who trusted her employer, who was targeted and exploited by someone in a position of power over her, and who has carried this burden for years.”
Senior House Democrats did not stand by Swalwell. House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called for him to end his campaign. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) all withdrew their endorsements.
Swalwell has denied all allegations.
