\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThere is finally a breakaway leader in California\u2019s crowded race for governor, at least by one measure: Eric Swalwell is just about everyone\u2019s favorite target.In a wide-open contest ahead of a June primary, a burst of negative publicity aimed at the Democratic U.S. House member suggests that Swalwell’s leading rivals see him gaining momentum in a race that has been overshadowed by international wars, turmoil in Washington and soaring gas prices.To listen to his competitors, he has a no-show job in Congress, he might not live in California and he\u2019s a sympathizer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which staged immigration raids across Los Angeles that led to violent protests. His campaign disputes those claims.\u201cWhoever\u2019s head starts to stick up higher than the rest, the other candidates pick up their mallets and start to knock them back down,\u201d said Democratic consultant Roger Salazar, who is not involved in the contest.With high-profile endorsements from Democratic U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff and the influential Service Employees International Union California \u2014 paired with favorable polling \u2014 other campaigns ramped up attacks in an apparent effort to blunt any Swalwell gains. In a race that has yet to capture the public\u2019s attention, marquee endorsements can move votes.\u201cIt\u2019s like a kids\u2019 soccer game \u2014 people move with the pack,\u201d Salazar added.Residency questions shake up campaignSwalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters. He is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial during his first term in early 2021.Billionaire hedge fund manager-turned-liberal activist Tom Steyer, who is among a handful of leading Democrats, posted a digital ad mocking Swalwell for missing votes in Congress that depicted the congressman taking dunks in a pool while the U.S. House was calling votes, while his campaign separately questioned Swalwell’s residency status in California. Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and one of the leading Republicans, has said Swalwell should be disqualified because of questions about his residency.In a letter to the state’s chief elections officer earlier this month, Steyer’s campaign argued the Swalwell lived in California \u201con paper\u201d and asked the office to investigate whether the congressman is eligible to serve as governor. The state constitution requires five years of residency to run for governor, but the California Secretary of State’s Office has said the provision is unenforceable.The office did not immediately respond to an email inquiring about the status of the request.The California Post recently sent a reporter to Swalwell’s listed address in the San Francisco Bay Area. The news outlet interviewed neighbors who said they had never seen Swalwell. Meanwhile, Swalwell’s landlord filed legal papers with the secretary of state affirming that the congressman and his wife have rented the property since 2017. \u201cHe lives at the property,\u201d the documents said.Swalwell said he receives hundreds of death threats and keeps his address private to protect his family, and he accused Steyer and the news outlet of putting them at risk. His campaign says his living arrangements are no different from any other House member from California. He maintains dual residences, one in the state and the other in Washington.Swalwell missed votes in September following the death of his mother, but campaign spokesperson Micah Beasley added that the congressman \u201chas always been present for important or close votes.\u201d\u201cTom Steyer has spent $100 MILLION lying about me,\u201d Swalwell posted on the social platform X.Another leading Democrat, former Rep. Katie Porter, has dinged Swalwell for what she describes as his support for immigration enforcement personnel.\u201cEric Swalwell voted to thank ICE,\u201d Porter wrote in an email to supporters. \u201cICE needs to be abolished, not thanked.\u201dHis campaign confirmed that Swalwell was among 75 Democrats who voted last year in favor of a GOP-sponsored resolution condemning an attack on a Colorado demonstration that was being held in support of Israeli hostages, which left one woman dead. The resolution expressed \u201cgratitude\u201d to law enforcement, including ICE.His campaign added that he has proposed restrictions on ICE activities, including requiring agents to remove masks and display official identification. \u201cIf there\u2019s someone that Rep. Swalwell has gone after more than Trump, it\u2019s ICE,\u201d Beasley said.Candidates try to break from the packWith mail-in voting scheduled to begin in early May, candidates are jostling for advantage in a race in which a fraction of a percentage point could decide the outcome. The election marks the first time since voters approved the state\u2019s \u201c top two \u201d primary system more than a decade ago that there has been a governor\u2019s race with no dominant candidate, enticing a crowd of Democrats into the contest.Indeed, Democrats are openly fretting that the party\u2019s numerous candidates will undercut each other and allow two Republicans to advance to the November election. Even in the heavily Democratic state, an all-GOP general election is possible under the unusual top-two primary system, which puts all candidates on one ballot and advances the top-two vote-getters, regardless of party.Recent polling by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found the field had broken into two distinct groups, with Swalwell, Hilton, Porter, Steyer and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican, in close competition, with other candidates trailing.Swalwell faces the same challenge as other Democrats \u2014 how to stand apart in a field where the candidates largely agree on many issues, including resistance to Trump’s agenda and lowering the cost of living in a state with some of the nation\u2019s highest housing costs, taxes and utility bills.Even with Swalwell winning a coveted endorsement from SEIU, \u201cthere\u2019s still a little bit of a window\u201d for another Democratic candidate to pull ahead, said Democratic political consultant Elizabeth Ashford.\u201cThere is momentum behind Swalwell,\u201d she said. \u201cI just don\u2019t know that it has reached quite the tipping point of like, \u2018OK, this is the clear front-runner.\u2019\u201dThe uncertainty hovering over the race to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom was underscored by a rare but not unprecedented decision by the powerful California Federation of Labor Unions, which endorsed four rival Democrats \u2014 Swalwell, Steyer, Villaraigosa and Porter. Each has an extensive history working with labor.Federation President Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher said the dynamics of the race continue to fluctuate.\u201cI think you\u2019re still going to see a lot of that bouncing back and forth before it really settles in,\u201d she added.___Austin reported from Sacramento, California.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tLOS ANGELES \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
There is finally a breakaway leader in California\u2019s crowded race for governor, at least by one measure: Eric Swalwell<\/a> is just about everyone\u2019s favorite target.<\/p>\n In a wide-open contest<\/a> ahead of a June primary, a burst of negative publicity aimed at the Democratic U.S. House member suggests that Swalwell’s leading rivals see him gaining momentum in a race that has been overshadowed by international wars<\/a>, turmoil in Washington and soaring gas<\/a> prices.<\/p>\n To listen to his competitors, he has a no-show job in Congress, he might not live in California and he\u2019s a sympathizer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which staged immigration raids across Los Angeles that led to violent protests. His campaign disputes those claims.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoever\u2019s head starts to stick up higher than the rest, the other candidates pick up their mallets and start to knock them back down,\u201d said Democratic consultant Roger Salazar, who is not involved in the contest.<\/p>\n With high-profile endorsements from Democratic U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff<\/a> and the influential Service Employees International Union California \u2014 paired with favorable polling \u2014 other campaigns ramped up attacks in an apparent effort to blunt any Swalwell gains. In a race that has yet to capture the public\u2019s attention, marquee endorsements can move votes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like a kids\u2019 soccer game \u2014 people move with the pack,\u201d Salazar added.<\/p>\n Residency questions shake up campaign<\/p>\n Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run<\/a> in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters. He is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial<\/a> during his first term in early 2021.<\/p>\n Billionaire hedge fund manager-turned-liberal activist Tom Steyer<\/a>, who is among a handful of leading Democrats, posted a digital ad mocking Swalwell for missing votes in Congress that depicted the congressman taking dunks in a pool while the U.S. House was calling votes, while his campaign separately questioned Swalwell’s residency status in California. Steve Hilton<\/a>, a former Fox News host and one of the leading Republicans, has said Swalwell should be disqualified because of questions about his residency.<\/p>\n In a letter to the state’s chief elections officer earlier this month, Steyer’s campaign argued the Swalwell lived in California \u201con paper\u201d and asked the office to investigate whether the congressman is eligible to serve as governor. The state constitution requires five years of residency to run for governor, but the California Secretary of State’s Office has said the provision is unenforceable.<\/p>\n The office did not immediately respond to an email inquiring about the status of the request.<\/p>\n The California Post recently sent a reporter to Swalwell’s listed address in the San Francisco Bay Area. The news outlet interviewed neighbors who said they had never seen Swalwell. Meanwhile, Swalwell’s landlord filed legal papers with the secretary of state affirming that the congressman and his wife have rented the property since 2017. \u201cHe lives at the property,\u201d the documents said.<\/p>\n Swalwell said he receives hundreds of death threats and keeps his address private to protect his family, and he accused Steyer and the news outlet of putting them at risk. His campaign says his living arrangements are no different from any other House member from California. He maintains dual residences, one in the state and the other in Washington.<\/p>\n Swalwell missed votes in September following the death of his mother, but campaign spokesperson Micah Beasley added that the congressman \u201chas always been present for important or close votes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTom Steyer has spent $100 MILLION lying about me,\u201d Swalwell posted on the social platform X.<\/p>\n Another leading Democrat, former Rep. Katie Porter<\/a>, has dinged Swalwell for what she describes as his support for immigration enforcement personnel.<\/p>\n \u201cEric Swalwell voted to thank ICE,\u201d Porter wrote in an email to supporters. \u201cICE needs to be abolished, not thanked.\u201d<\/p>\n His campaign confirmed that Swalwell was among 75 Democrats who voted last year in favor of a GOP-sponsored resolution condemning an attack on a Colorado demonstration that was being held in support of Israeli hostages,<\/a> which left one woman dead.<\/a> The resolution expressed \u201cgratitude\u201d to law enforcement, including ICE.<\/p>\n His campaign added that he has proposed restrictions on ICE activities, including requiring agents to remove masks and display official identification. \u201cIf there\u2019s someone that Rep. Swalwell has gone after more than Trump, it\u2019s ICE,\u201d Beasley said.<\/p>\n Candidates try to break from the pack<\/p>\n With mail-in voting scheduled to begin in early May, candidates are jostling for advantage in a race in which a fraction of a percentage point could decide the outcome. The election marks the first time since voters approved the state\u2019s \u201c top two<\/a> \u201d primary system more than a decade ago that there has been a governor\u2019s race with no dominant candidate, enticing a crowd of Democrats into the contest.<\/p>\n Indeed, Democrats are openly fretting that the party\u2019s numerous candidates will undercut each other and allow two Republicans to advance to the November election. Even in the heavily Democratic state, an all-GOP general election is possible under the unusual top-two primary system, which puts all candidates on one ballot and advances the top-two vote-getters, regardless of party.<\/p>\n Recent polling by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found the field had broken into two distinct groups, with Swalwell, Hilton, Porter, Steyer and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco<\/a>, a Republican, in close competition, with other candidates trailing.<\/p>\n Swalwell faces the same challenge as other Democrats \u2014 how to stand apart in a field where the candidates largely agree on many issues, including resistance to Trump’s agenda and lowering the cost of living in a state with some of the nation\u2019s highest housing costs, taxes and utility bills.<\/p>\n Even with Swalwell winning a coveted endorsement from SEIU, \u201cthere\u2019s still a little bit of a window\u201d for another Democratic candidate to pull ahead, said Democratic political consultant Elizabeth Ashford.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is momentum behind Swalwell,\u201d she said. \u201cI just don\u2019t know that it has reached quite the tipping point of like, \u2018OK, this is the clear front-runner.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The uncertainty hovering over the race to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom was underscored by a rare but not unprecedented decision by the powerful California Federation of Labor Unions, which endorsed four rival Democrats \u2014 Swalwell, Steyer, Villaraigosa and Porter. Each has an extensive history working with labor.<\/p>\n Federation President Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher said the dynamics of the race continue to fluctuate.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you\u2019re still going to see a lot of that bouncing back and forth before it really settles in,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n Austin reported from Sacramento, California.<\/p>\n See more coverage of top California stories here<\/a> | Download our app<\/a> | Subscribe to our morning newsletter<\/a> | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There is finally a breakaway leader in California\u2019s crowded race for governor, at least by one measure: Eric…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":228757,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1794,7,2926,9,8,16613,3705,7289,1751,24115,943,2871,16857,2211,103931,225,38107,38105,4486],"class_list":["post-228756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-attack","tag-california","tag-california-governor","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news","tag-california-secretary","tag-campaign","tag-congressman","tag-democrats","tag-eric-swalwell","tag-governor","tag-ice","tag-other-candidate","tag-race","tag-residency-status","tag-state","tag-steyer","tag-swalwell","tag-vote"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228756"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228756\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/228757"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}