Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell’s sudden withdrawal from the race for California governor has left his competitors scrambling to secure his former supporters in a tight contest with no clear front-runner, adding more chaos to the campaign to lead the country’s most populous state.
Swalwell decided to suspend his campaign following allegations of sexually assaulting a woman on two occasions, including when she was working for him. The allegations were first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday and later by CNN. Despite exiting the race, Swalwell remained resolute in a post on the social platform X, stating, “I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made – but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
For rival candidates in a packed race, the primary concern is where Swalwell’s supporters will turn. With mail ballots set to go out to voters in early May, the June 2 primary election is approaching fast, and attracting Swalwell’s supporters will be crucial.
Katie Porter, a prominent Democrat, highlighted a San Francisco Chronicle column on X, suggesting that Democrats can rally around her to achieve victory. Billionaire hedge fund manager turned liberal activist Tom Steyer announced that he secured the endorsement of Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Despite Swalwell’s withdrawal, his name will still appear on the ballot alongside seven established Democrats and two leading Republicans.
The sudden turn of events for Swalwell, who seemed to be gaining momentum in the race to succeed outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, marked a significant reversal in a competitive field.
The accusations of sexual misconduct have reshaped a fiercely contested gubernatorial race in California, where Democrats feared being excluded from the general election in November due to the top-two primary system.
As pressure mounted on Swalwell, calls for his resignation came from not only political adversaries but also his House colleagues. The possibility of his expulsion from the U.S. House looms large, with some representatives saying they would back this rare action should he fail to step down.
Swalwell, an Iowa native elected in 2012, represents a House district in the San Francisco area. Despite launching a presidential bid in 2019, he ended it shortly after due to a lack of voter support.
