Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
Yuri Gripusreuter
Congressman Eric Swalwell announced Sunday night that he is suspending his campaign for California governor following sexual misconduct allegations against the Democratic lawmaker.
“To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I deeply apologize for the errors of judgment I made in the past,” Swalwell, 45, said in a post on X announcing his suspension of campaigning.
“I will fight against the serious false allegations that have been made, but that is my fight, not my campaign,” said Swalwell, a married father of three.
Mr. Swalwell’s announcement came as calls from former allies and others for him to withdraw from the race to replace fellow Democrat Gavin Newsom came a day after the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced it was investigating allegations that Mr. Swalwell sexually assaulted one of his accusers in New York City in April 2024.
In a statement Sunday, more than 50 former Swalwell staffers called on him to resign from the Legislature and withdraw from the gubernatorial race.
“No one is above the law,” he said in a statement, according to the New York Times. “Not a member of Congress. Not a gubernatorial candidate. Not anyone.”
Swalwell was a front-runner in the gubernatorial race, but the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday reported that a woman who worked on his legislative staff for about two years claims that he had a sexual relationship with her while he was her boss, and that he sexually assaulted her twice when she was too drunk to consent.
Shortly after The Chronicle reported the story, CNN reported that in addition to the accuser, “three other women who spoke with CNN also alleged various types of sexual misconduct by the Democratic congressman, including that Mr. Swalwell sent unsolicited explicit messages and nude photos.”
Swalwell denied the allegations in a statement Friday.
“These claims are false and were made on the eve of an election against the front-runner for governor,” Swalwell said.
“For nearly 20 years, I have served the public as a prosecutor and a member of Congress, always protecting women,” he said.
“I will protect myself with the facts and take legal action if necessary. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and protect my decades of service from these lies.”
