Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) faced significant campaign departures and calls for his withdrawal from the California gubernatorial race following news reports of sexual assault and misconduct allegations. Multiple senior staffers resigned from his campaign shortly before the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN published accounts from several women, including a former employee. Swalwell has denied the allegations, calling them false and suggesting they are part of a coordinated effort to undermine his candidacy.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that a former staffer alleged Swalwell had sexual encounters with her and sexually assaulted her twice while she was intoxicated. CNN subsequently reported on three additional women who accused the congressman of making unwanted sexual advances and sending explicit messages and photos. Furthermore, reports surfaced that a former employee had signed an employment discrimination agreement containing confidentiality clauses, contradicting previous campaign statements that no staff members had signed non-disclosure agreements.
The fallout included the resignation of campaign co-chairs Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) and Rep. Adam Gray, as well as strategic adviser Courtni Pugh. High-profile California Democrats, including Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have called for Swalwell to exit the race. Additionally, major backers such as the California Teachers Association and SEIU California suspended their support, while a pro-Swalwell independent expenditure committee halted its operations.
For the donor and labor groups involved, the suspension of endorsements represents a disruption in political strategy and resource allocation. The California Teachers Association and SEIU California, which represent hundreds of thousands of workers, must now navigate a primary field where top-polling candidates like former Rep. Katie Porter and Tom Steyer remain. The internal campaign exodus, involving at least four senior departures, effectively halts the day-to-day operations of a major statewide bid, impacting the employment of political staffers and the execution of planned town halls and events.
The situation sets a precedent for how quickly institutional support can retract in the face of misconduct allegations within the California Democratic Party. The next steps involve whether Swalwell will heed calls to exit the race or follow through on his stated intent to bring legal action against his accusers. Deadlines for the gubernatorial primary are approaching rapidly as mail-in ballots are expected to reach voters in the coming weeks. Official investigations or further board meetings by endorsing groups, such as the California Medical Association, are expected to occur in the immediate future.