Sen. Adam Schiff is endorsing Eric Swalwell as the Bay Area House member gains momentum in California’s gubernatorial race, becoming the most prominent Democrat to choose sides in the contest.
The two came up in the House together, and built their profiles working on the impeachment trials against President Donald Trump in 2021. Schiff cited Swalwell’s role as impeachment manager in a statement of support shared first with California Playbook.
“What I saw then, and what I know now, is that Eric is fully prepared to get things done and deliver for the Golden State, even as he will fight to protect our values, rights and freedoms,” Schiff said in a statement.
The endorsement comes as labor groups and Democrats in the state attempt to consolidate a sprawling Democratic field that includes more than a half dozen candidates. Swalwell and former Rep. Katie Porter have consistently polled at the top of their party in the race, but their shares of support have been stuck in the low to mid teens due to the large size of the field.
Swalwell has been gaining momentum since entering the race in November, leading all Democrats but self-funding billionaire Tom Steyer in fundraising during the second half of 2025 and picking up endorsements from eight of his California House colleagues.
He has focused heavily in his campaign on Trump-bashing and affordability issues. Schiff echoed that focus, praising Swalwell’s capacity “to take on our state’s biggest challenges and make real progress, from lowering costs for families to protecting our democracy from Donald Trump.”
Schiff, whom Swalwell endorsed over Porter in his 2024 Senate bid, is the first of California’s senators to weigh in since Sen. Alex Padilla ruled out a run for governor. And he is the closest ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — who has enormous gravitas in the state’s Democratic politics but has not endorsed — to pick a side in the contest.
California Democratic Party delegates will vote later this month at a convention in San Francisco whether to endorse in the race, but no candidate is expected to get the party nod before the state’s June primary due to the large number of Democrats splitting the party’s rank and file and the high threshold candidates need.