In the midst of a competitive race for the 41st governor of California, accusations of sexual misconduct have caused the leading candidate, Eric Swalwell, to drop out of the race. Eric Swalwell is a democratic congressman who has served in the House of Representatives since 2013. As of April 13th, 2026, he has announced his intention to resign from his role and has suspended his race for governor. His replacement could influence the balance of a split House leading into the midterm elections in November.
On April 10th, 2026, the San Francisco Chronicle published a report of a former staffer in Swalwell’s office who accused him of taking advantage of her while she was intoxicated. CNN then released additional reports, including three more women who had come forward with stories accusing the congressman of sexual harassment and assault.
Shortly after these reports, the candidate released a statement, “For nearly 20 years, I have served the public as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts… my focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.” Swallwell commented.
In the coming days, bipartisan voices called for the congressman’s resignation. There were quickly calls for a mandatory expulsion vote of Swalwell. Regardless of the accusation’s validity, “This cuts across party lines. And it is the depravity of the way that women have been treated,” said Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.
Early on April 13th, the congressman announced on X, “It’s wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”
A lawsuit is expected to follow these accusations. The case is currently under review by the House Ethics Committee. Additionally, Swallwell’s lawyers issued two cease-and-desist orders to the women who accused the representative of sending unsolicited explicit images.
Each woman has backed up their accusations with evidence of texts dated back to the incidents and medical reports of STD and pregnancy tests. Their stories followed a pattern of the representative reaching out innocently, helping women in their twenties professionally, which later progressed into asking for nude photos before eventually escalating into sexual assault and physical trauma.
Politically, these announcements have sent ripples through both the democratic party and the competitive political race. Swalwell was previously the leading democrat according to recent polls. Now, both parties are scrambling to take advantage of the opportunity to gain a lead in the race for the most populous state in the United States.
