Eric Swalwell drops out of governor’s race following sexual assault allegations

Democratic candidate Eric Swalwell dropped out of the governor’s race Sunday afternoon after a former staffer accused the East Bay congressman of sexual assault and three others accused him of sexual misconduct, prompting key allies to withdraw endorsements and pressure him to withdraw from the race.

“I am suspending my campaign for Governor. To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell wrote on X.

“I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.

” On Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle published the account of an unnamed woman who said Swalwell, 45, sexually assaulted her while she was too intoxicated to consent while she worked on his staff in 2019 and again after she’d left his office in 2024.

Hours later, CNN published its own story of the woman as well as three others who said Swalwell made unwanted advances, including one who said she’d ended up in his hotel room with little recollection of what transpired and two who said they’d received unsolicited nude photos of his penis.

Swalwell suspended his campaign 48 hours after he repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, as staff members fled, organized labor yanked their support, and Democrats from the California Legislature up to Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi urged him to withdraw from the race.

Until Sunday night, Swalwell had resisted those calls, denying the accusations as “flat false. ” He hinted at legal action after his attorney Elias Dabaie sent two accusers cease-and-desist letters.

Dabaie on Friday questioned the allegations as politically motivated and said the congressman, a married father of three, would return to the campaign trail to clear his name after taking time off to spend with family.