Eric Swalwell #

Introduction #

Eric Swalwell, a six-term California congressman who had been running as a leading candidate for governor in the 2026 election, resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives in April 2026, days after multiple women accused him of sexual assault and misconduct. The allegations, reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN, triggered a rapid collapse of his campaign, the withdrawal of endorsements from high-profile Democrats, and criminal investigations by prosecutors in two states.

Background Information #

Born November 16, 1980, in Sac City, Iowa, Swalwell grew up in Dublin, California, where his father served as a police chief before the family settled in the East Bay. He played soccer on scholarship at Campbell University before transferring to the University of Maryland, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 2003 and a Juris Doctor in 2006. He worked as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County from 2006 to 2012 and served on the Dublin City Council from 2010 to 2013.

In 2012, Swalwell upset 20-term incumbent Pete Stark in a top-two general election, winning 52.1% to 47.9%, and went on to win re-election six times, representing California’s 15th and later 14th congressional districts from 2013 to 2026. He made a brief bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019 and gained national prominence as an impeachment manager during Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial following the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Ahead of the 2026 election, he was widely viewed as one of the leading Democratic candidates to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation #

On April 10, 2026, the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN published reports detailing allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against Swalwell from multiple women. Within days, the congressman’s career had collapsed. Key developments included:

1. The central allegation (September 2019) — One woman told the Chronicle that Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019 in Pleasanton while he was her boss. According to the report, Swalwell bought her alcohol at a steakhouse and she could not remember leaving the restaurant before waking up naked the next morning in his hotel bed. She said she was too intoxicated to consent. The woman, who left his office in 2021, also claimed Swalwell forcibly had sex with her again in April 2024 in New York after the two met for a drink.

2. Additional accusations (April 2026) — CNN reported allegations from three other women of sexual misconduct by Swalwell, including that he sent unsolicited pictures of his genitals.

3. Campaign collapse and criminal inquiries — Numerous campaign staffers reportedly left their jobs, and endorsements were withdrawn by figures including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Senator Adam Schiff, as well as labor organizations. Over the weekend, the Manhattan district attorney’s office announced it was opening an investigation, and the Alameda County district attorney said her office was evaluating the allegations. The House Ethics Committee also began its own inquiry. On April 12, Swalwell suspended his gubernatorial campaign, saying battling the allegations was “my fight, not a campaign’s.”

4. Resignation (April 13, 2026) — Facing the prospect of an expulsion vote, Swalwell announced his resignation. “Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong. But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties,” he wrote. He apologized “to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past” while vowing to “fight the serious, false allegation made against me.”

Public Reaction and Consequences #

The reaction was swift across the political spectrum. Former staffers publicly called on Swalwell to resign, describing the most serious accusation as “the account of a young woman who trusted her employer, who was targeted and exploited by someone in a position of power over her.” Representative Sam Liccardo said the resignation “provides some relief and vindication to survivors” while asking why “so many powerful people looked the other way” for “a man long rumored to menace young female coworkers.”

Swalwell’s exit came amid a wave of accountability in Congress: Texas Republican Tony Gonzales announced his retirement the same week following sexual misconduct allegations, and Florida Republican Cory Mills faced calls for expulsion over a separate set of accusations — a convergence that Mother Jones noted had “national implications” in a House where the Republican majority was already narrow. Swalwell’s rapid departure also scrambled California’s governor’s race, reshaping the path to November.

Current Status #

As of late August 2026, Swalwell has not returned to public office. His congressional term ended with his resignation in April 2026, and Aisha Wahab was elected to succeed him. He continues to deny wrongdoing, maintaining that the lead allegation against him is false, while investigations by the Manhattan district attorney’s office and the Alameda County district attorney’s office remained open; the House Ethics Committee had begun its own inquiry prior to his departure. Whether a special election would be called for the remainder of his term was left to the governor’s discretion, given the proximity of the November election.

Impact on Their Career/Life #

The allegations ended a congressional career of more than a decade and a promising gubernatorial bid in a matter of days. Swalwell, who had built his national reputation as a vocal antagonist of Donald Trump — serving as an impeachment manager and later drawing scrutiny from the Department of Justice in Trump’s second term — saw his endorsements evaporate and his campaign staff flee before he resigned his seat.

The episode became part of a broader April 2026 reckoning in the House, where multiple members faced misconduct allegations and two resigned rather than face potential expulsion. For Swalwell, the fall was total: from a leading candidate for governor to a former congressman under criminal investigation, with his political future — and his defense of the allegations — now playing out entirely outside elected office.