LOS ANGELES — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell's abrupt exit from the race for California governor — then his announcement he would leave Congress — left his rivals scrambling to lock down his former supporters in a crowded contest with no clear leader, injecting more turmoil into the campaign to lead the nation's most populous state.
Swalwell's decision to suspend his campaign Sunday followed allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him, that were published Friday in the San Francisco Chronicle and later by CNN. While pulling out of the race he remained defiant in a post on the social platform X, saying, "I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that's my fight, not a campaign's."
On Monday, he posted a statement on X, saying he planned to resign from Congress but did not provide a date for his departure. He wrote it was unfair for his constituents to have him distracted from his duties.
For rival candidates in a wide-open race, the key issue is where Swalwell’s supporters will go. He was among the most prominent Democrats in the contest, with mail ballots scheduled to go to voters in early May in advance of the June 2 primary election. Most of the well-known candidates are expected to appear on stage together Tuesday during a forum in Sacramento.
Katie Porter, one of the leading Democrats, posted a line from a San Francisco Chronicle column on X, "Democrats can pull victory from the jaws of defeat by coalescing around Porter." Billionaire hedge fund manager-turned-liberal activist Tom Steyer said he secured the support of a handful of lawmakers, including Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat whose coastal district runs north of San Francisco, not far from Swalwell's home turf. Antonio Villaraigosa, the former Los Angeles mayor, pitched a new ad promising to lower gas and grocery costs in a state known for its punishing cost of living.
With seven established Democrats and two leading Republicans on a primary ballot with more than 50 candidates, the race remains fluid. While Swalwell has suspended his campaign, his name cannot be removed from the ballot.
“Nobody has really caught fire,” said Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta, who is not involved in the campaign. Swalwell's supporters “will scatter out to other candidates.”
Shifting alliances with Swalwell's departure
In Sacramento, a handful of state lawmakers quickly switched their support from Swalwell to Steyer. Democratic Assemblymember Nick Schultz said he believes Steyer will put in the work to form strong relationships with the legislature. Steyer's business background — he has never held public office — means he’ll challenge the status quo, Schultz added.
Democratic Assemblymember Corey Jackson — who also shifted to Steyer — said he wanted to back a candidate who had a legitimate chance of winning. He said in a statement that he and Steyer shared a “commitment to building an economy rooted in dignity for working people.”
San Jose's Democratic Mayor Matt Mahan, running for governor in his first statewide election, sought to distinguish his record from Steyer and another leading candidate, Republican Steve Hilton, who hosted a show on Fox News for six years and has Trump's endorsement.
With Swalwell out, “now we have a field that’s got a billionaire who made his fortune investing in private prisons, ICE facilities, oil and gas companies … and a MAGA-backed TV commentator on the other hand,” Mahan said on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe.”
“California deserves so much better,” Mahan said.
Many voters remain distant from governor's race
Swalwell is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial during his first term in early 2021. But in a media environment dominated by Trump, the race remains distant from many California voters.
After the publicity about sexual misconduct allegations, “I think there are probably more people who know who Eric Swalwell is than can articulate a Tom Steyer position paper,” Acosta added.
Swalwell was considered a leading contender along with Steyer and Porter and two Republicans, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Hilton. But Republican activists haven't rallied around Hilton, despite Trump's support; at a California Republican Party convention over the weekend the party declined to endorse a candidate in the race.
Democrats have feared the party's large number of candidates could lead to them getting shut out of the general election in November. That's because California has a primary system in which only the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party.
Swalwell had become a clear target for his Democratic rivals as he began to lock up institutional support. Some had seized on rumors of sexual misconduct that circulated on social media for weeks before the Chronicle's report.
The San Francisco Chronicle spoke to a woman who alleged Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019, when she worked for him, and again in 2024. The woman said she did not go to police at the time of the assaults because she was afraid she would not be believed. In both cases the woman said she was too intoxicated to consent to sex. CNN reported on allegations that appeared to come from the same woman, and spoke to several other women who accused Swalwell of other sexual misconduct.
Neither outlet named the woman, and The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify her account and identity. Her lawyer declined to comment.
The alleged 2024 incident occurred in New York, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said it’s investigating. That office urged anyone with knowledge to contact its special victims division. The Alameda County District Attorney's office, which covers Swalwell's California district, said no one has reached out to the office with allegations against Swalwell.
House colleagues call for Swalwell to resign
Swalwell's swift downfall came amid rising pressure for him to leave Congress. He earlier lost the support of powerful labor unions that had backed his candidacy, along with one-time allies like California U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Jimmy Gomez.
Some representatives had said they would support the rare step of expelling him from the U.S. House should he refuse to step aside. The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation Monday.
Swalwell, who is originally from Iowa, was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters.
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Associated Press writer Sophie Austin in Sacramento contributed.
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