Eric Swalwell drops out of race for California Governor amid sexual assault allegations
Are you or someone you know a recent survivor of sexual assault? Help is available. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) provides a 24/7 national sexual assault hotline, which can be reached at 1-800-656-4673.
LOS ANGELES – Rep. Eric Swalwell is dropping out of the race for California Governor.
Swalwell announced on social media that he is suspending his campaign on Sunday.
The announcement comes as Swalwell is at the center of a series of sexual assault allegations.
"I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s," Swalwell said in a social media post earlier over the weekend.
According to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle, the alleged accuser worked for Swalwell for two years and claimed she had sexual encounters with him during her employment. She told SF Chronicle that Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions when she was too intoxicated to consent.
The woman told SF Chronicle she worked for Swalwell in 2019 when she was 21. According to the report, she accused Swalwell of messaging her on social media, sending explicit photos and asking her for nude photos.
According to a separate report from CNN, four women accused Swalwell of "various kinds of sexual misconduct." The allegations ranged from "inappropriate messages and pictures to unwanted kissing and touching – and in one case, rape," CNN reports.
Swalwell denied the sexual assault allegations in a video posted to social media on Friday.
As a member of U.S. House, it is unknown if Swalwell is stepping down as of Sunday night. His term as a Congressmember continues through January 2027.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.