Rep. Eric Swalwell's campaign for California governor fell apart Friday after both co-chairs resigned and a string of prominent Democrats withdrew their endorsements, all within hours of a San Francisco Chronicle report that a former staffer accused the congressman of sexually assaulting her twice.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) stepped down as co-chair and called on Swalwell to exit the race entirely. Rep. Adam Gray (D-Calif.), the other co-chair, posted on X that he was withdrawing his support and urged the candidate to end his campaign. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Adam Schiff, and Sen. Ruben Gallego all followed, pulling their endorsements in rapid succession.
The speed of the collapse is worth noting. Swalwell had been polling near the front of the nonpartisan primary in recent weeks, positioning himself as the frontrunner in a crowded field to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. By Friday evening, the campaign infrastructure was in ruins, and the candidate was insisting he'd been set up.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that a former staffer said Swalwell sexually assaulted her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent. The unnamed woman said Swalwell pursued her shortly after she was hired at his Castro Valley district office in 2019, when she was 21 years old. She alleged one assault occurred in 2019 and another in 2024.
CNN published a separate report the same day, detailing four women who alleged various kinds of sexual misconduct by Swalwell. The Hill stated it had not independently verified the claims and had reached out to Swalwell's campaign for additional comment.
Swalwell denied everything. In a statement to the Chronicle, he said the allegations were "false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor." He went further in a video message released that evening, as Fox News reported:
"These allegations of sexual assault are flat out false. They are absolutely false. They did not happen. They have never happened. And I will fight them with everything that I have."
His campaign spokesperson went further still, telling The Hill earlier in the week, before the Chronicle story dropped, that social media rumors of women planning to come forward were fabricated:
"This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race."
That framing, blame the opposition, invoke MAGA, claim political motivation, is a familiar playbook. Whether it holds up depends on facts that have yet to fully emerge. But Swalwell's own allies did not wait around to find out.
Gomez, who had co-chaired the campaign, did not mince words. Newsmax reported that multiple staffers also resigned, compounding the damage beyond just the co-chairs and endorsers. Gomez posted on X:
"I cannot in good conscience remain in any role with this campaign, and I am stepping down from it effective immediately."
He called on Swalwell to "leave the race now so there can be full accountability without doubt, distraction or delay."
Swalwell is no stranger to controversy. His campaign previously accepted nearly $10,000 from a Beijing-linked law firm, a story that drew scrutiny but never seemed to slow him down in Democratic circles. This time, the party moved fast.
Sen. Adam Schiff said on X that he was "deeply distressed" by the allegations and did not hedge:
"I am withdrawing my endorsement immediately, and believe that he should withdraw from the race."
Sen. Ruben Gallego, described as a longtime Swalwell ally, called the allegations "indefensible" and withdrew his endorsement of the gubernatorial bid. Just The News reported that both co-chairs either resigned or withdrew support, reinforcing the picture of a campaign in free fall.
Then came Pelosi. The former Speaker, whose influence in California Democratic politics remains considerable, she has been reportedly working behind the scenes to boost Newsom for a 2028 presidential run, released a statement through her spokesperson on X. She said the allegations "must be respected and heard" and added:
"This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability. As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign."
That last line carried the weight. Pelosi was not merely expressing concern. She was telling Swalwell, publicly, that she had spoken with him and concluded he should step aside.
The California Teachers Association suspended its support immediately. In a post on X, the union wrote:
"The allegations are incredibly disturbing and unacceptable against Rep. Swalwell. We are immediately suspending our support. Our elected board will be meeting as soon as possible to follow our union's democratic process to determine next steps."
The California Medical Association convened an emergency board meeting. Spokesperson Erin Mellon called the allegations "extremely serious."
Meanwhile, attorney Cheyenne Hunt, a former California congressional candidate and executive director of Gen-Z for Change, posted on X that she had been "working with a number of women who are in the process of coming forward and sharing their stories of sexual harassment and even alleged abuse at the hands of Eric Swalwell." If true, the Chronicle report may be only the beginning.
Even if Swalwell wanted to withdraw, the deadline to formally leave the primary has passed. His name will appear on the June 2 ballot regardless. The race features Republicans Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, as well as Democrats Tom Steyer and former Rep. Katie Porter. The top two vote-getters advance to the November general election.
That means California voters will see Swalwell's name whether he campaigns or not. And it means the allegations, and the party's response, will hang over the race for weeks.
Swalwell has built a career on television confrontation, including a memorable clash with the ICE director that ended with the congressman getting publicly fact-checked on live television. He has positioned himself as a progressive champion willing to take on Republicans in the most theatrical terms possible. Now the theater has turned inward, and his own party is doing the fact-checking.
No law enforcement report, civil filing, or official investigation has been publicly disclosed in connection with the allegations. The name of the former staffer who spoke to the Chronicle has not been made public. Whether her account overlaps with the four women cited in CNN's reporting is unclear.
Swalwell has denied everything, categorically, repeatedly, and loudly. He framed the timing as politically motivated. His campaign called the claims a conspiracy. But his co-chairs quit. His endorsers fled. His union backers suspended support. And the most powerful Democrat in California told him, on the record, that the investigation should happen "outside of a gubernatorial campaign."
Political departures in California have become a recurring theme. Just recently, longtime Rep. Darrell Issa closed out 25 years in Congress, passing the torch on his own terms. Swalwell may not get that luxury.
Democrats spent years telling the country to "believe women." On Friday, Swalwell's own party believed them fast enough to gut his campaign in a single afternoon. The question now is whether anyone will hold the same standard the next time the accused has the right letter after his name.