Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14) has suspended his campaign for California governor following mounting pressure from leaders within his own party, capping a tumultuous week dominated by sexual assault allegations and political fallout.
The decision came over the weekend, days after California Democratic Party (CADEM) Chair Rusty Hicks publicly rebuked the allegations as “deeply disturbing” and urged all candidates to reassess the viability of their campaigns.
Swalwell, who is seeking reelection to Congress, had been a candidate in California’s 2026 gubernatorial race. His exit follows a wave of scrutiny triggered by reports published April 10 by Politico and other outlets detailing accusations from a former staffer. The woman alleged that Swalwell engaged in sexual encounters with her while she was his subordinate and sexually assaulted her on two occasions. The allegations have not been independently confirmed.
Additional reporting cited three other women who accused Swalwell of making sexual advances and sending explicit messages and photos. Separately, documents obtained by Politico show that a former employee who settled a workplace discrimination dispute with Swalwell’s office agreed to confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions — contradicting earlier claims by his campaign that no staffers had signed such agreements.
Swalwell has denied the allegations, calling them “false” and politically motivated, and emphasizing his record of supporting women during nearly two decades in public service.
Still, the controversy quickly destabilized his campaign. Several senior staff members resigned, and some endorsers withdrew or paused their support. Hicks stopped short of explicitly calling for Swalwell to exit the race but underscored the stakes.
“First, the stories of victims and survivors should be heard and believed. Period,” Hicks said. “Second, any person engaged in misconduct must take responsibility and be held accountable for their actions — including a member of Congress and candidate for governor.”
Hicks added that his earlier directive to candidates remained in effect: “My call for all — repeat, all — candidates for governor to ‘honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign’ still stands. In fact, that call is more important now than ever before.”
Calls for Swalwell to step aside intensified from within the field of candidates. Tony Thurmond, California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction and a fellow gubernatorial candidate, urged Swalwell to resign from Congress and end his campaign.
“I’m here to acknowledge the courage of the many brave women who have shared accounts of sexual assaults … it’s a sad day and it is difficult to hear these troubling accounts,” Thurmond said, adding that Swalwell should “take responsibility for your actions” and “step away from this race for governor.”
Across the aisle, Republicans failed to select a candidate they will back for governor, leaving the party without a unified standard-bearer after delegates declined to coalesce around either Chad Bianco or Steve Hilton during the California Republican Party convention held this weekend in Sacramento. That stalemate underscores divisions within the GOP field, too, as the 2026 race continues to take shape.