Democratic Allies Abandon Eric Swalwell’s California Governor Bid After Sexual Assault Allegations Emerge

Democrat Eric Swalwell, currently the frontrunner among Democrats in California’s top-two gubernatorial primary, has seen his political support collapse overnight following a San Francisco Chronicle report that a former staffer has accused him of sexual assault.

Swalwell has strongly denied the claims and issued a cease-and-desist letter to the accuser. A separate report from NOTUS on Friday afternoon added that he allegedly made unwanted sexual advances toward a Capitol Hill intern using Snapchat.In swift response, several prominent Democrats who had previously backed him reversed course. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) stated he was “deeply distressed” by the allegations, called the accuser brave for coming forward, and immediately withdrew his endorsement. He urged Swalwell to drop out of the race entirely.

Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who had initially defended Swalwell when the claims first circulated as rumors on social media, also pulled his support. “What is described is indefensible,” Gallego wrote. “Women who come forward with accounts like this deserve to be heard with respect.” He expressed regret for his earlier defense and said he was “shocked and upset” by the new reporting.

Major labor unions followed suit. The California Teachers Association described the allegations as “incredibly disturbing and unacceptable” and announced it was immediately suspending its support for Swalwell’s campaign. The SEIU California chapter likewise suspended all campaign activities and expenditures, saying its leaders would review the situation through their internal democratic process.

Several other Democratic candidates running for governor—including Matt Mahan and Tony Thurmond—publicly called on Swalwell to exit the race. Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, who is trailing closely behind Swalwell in the primary polls, went further, demanding that he resign from Congress immediately and withdraw from the governor’s contest.

The Republican National Committee offered a blunt assessment, with spokesman Nick Poche calling Swalwell “a disgusting pig” who should resign from Congress and leave the governor’s race in disgrace.

This is not Swalwell’s first brush with controversy; he has previously faced scrutiny over ties to a suspected Chinese spy known as “Fang Fang” and questions about his eligibility based on California residency rules.