Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California suspended his gubernatorial campaign Sunday night under immense pressure from colleagues after a former staffer’s accusations of sexual assault set off a string of sexual misconduct allegations.
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell wrote on X. “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, 45, was the leading Democratic candidate in the race to replace Governor Gavin Newsom and had received roughly two dozen endorsements from top lawmakers, labor unions and organizations.
But those endorsements were quickly rescinded after the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN published reports within hours of each other on April 10 alleging that multiple women had experienced sexual misconduct at the hands of Swalwell.
Swalwell vehemently denies the allegations and had promised to “fight them,” implying that the accusations were made in a coordinated effort to hurt his campaign.
A woman who once worked for Swalwell told the Chronicle that the congressman had sexually assaulted her twice between 2019 and 2024. At the time, Swalwell was 17 years older than the staffer and was roughly two years into his current marriage.
Three other women told CNN they experienced a range of sexual misconduct by the congressman between 2021 and 2025, from receiving unsolicited nude photos to unwanted physical advances while intoxicated.
At least three of the women received cease-and-desist letters from a lawyer representing Swalwell, threatening to use legal action if they did not retract the “false” allegations.
Senior campaign officials stepped down shortly after the allegations were made. Staff for Swalwell’s congressional office and gubernatorial campaign released a statement denouncing Swalwell’s behavior.
By April 11, the Manhattan district attorney’s office opened an investigation after the former staffer said Swalwell had assaulted her in New York City.
Following Sunday’s announcement the Mayor of San Jose Matt Mahan, who is also vying for Governor, wrote: “Eric Swalwell is done. Done abusing women. Done climbing the political ladder. Done. He does not get any credit for doing less than the bare minimum.
“Exiting a race you should never have entered deserves no credit. It is an overdue acknowledgment of what the brave survivors who came forward already made clear: Eric Swalwell represented the worst of politics. California deserves better. And now, California will get better.”
In addition to calls for him to drop out, some lawmakers called on Swalwell to resign from Congress entirely. Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida had planned to file a motion to expel Swalwell from the House.
Swalwell represented California’s 15th district, which includes the southern side of San Francisco, from 2013 until 2023. He represents the state’s 14th district.
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