<\/p>\n
California gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-CA appears at a town hall meeting in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, April 7, 2026.<\/p>\n
Rich Pedroncelli\/AP<\/p>\n
California gubernatorial candidate Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., talks with reporters after holding a town hall meeting in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, April 7, 2026.<\/p>\n
Rich Pedroncelli\/AP<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Fellow Democrats are abandoning Eric Swalwell\u2019s campaign for California governor in droves after allegations surfaced that he sexually assaulted a former staffer, with a growing number urging the congressman both to quit the race and resign his seat in Congress.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Swalwell has denied the allegations, which he has said \u201care absolutely false.\u201d They surfaced after he became a leading contender in the race for California governor to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.<\/p>\n
Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n
Over the weekend, with Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign already teetering, Democrats in Congress began to call for his resignation from the House. Some even said they would support the rare step of expelling him should he refuse to step aside.<\/p>\n
Fellow California Reps. Jared Huffman, Ro Khanna and Sam Liccardo said Swalwell should resign, as did Reps. Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez of New Mexico and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not a partisan issue,\u201d Jayapal said Sunday. \u201cThis cuts across party lines. And it is depravity of the way that women have been treated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n
Swalwell\u2019s gubernatorial campaign did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment<\/p>\n
It all added to the mounting political pressure on Swalwell, who has already seen his most prominent supporters, including Sen. Adam Schiff and powerful labor unions, pull their endorsements and call for his exit from the race. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., who helped run Swalwell\u2019s campaign, said he was immediately ending his role.<\/p>\n
With the House returning to session Tuesday, the question of whether to expel Swalwell could come to a head quickly. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said Saturday that she would be filing a motion to start the process.<\/p>\n
Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n
Expulsion votes in the House are rare and require a two-thirds majority, but there is recent precedent for taking the step. Republican George Santos of New York in 2023 became just the sixth member<\/a> in House history to be ousted by colleagues for his conduct.<\/p>\n Huffman, Jayapal and Leger Fern\u00e1ndez said they would vote to expel Swalwell from the House, though they said they also support expelling Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who admitted to an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide.<\/p>\n Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, who is running his own campaign for governor, said both Swalwell and Gonzales \u201cneed to go home\u201d and that he would vote to expel them both.<\/p>\n Khanna also indicated support for congressional action against both lawmakers.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cSo, it depends on if it\u2019s worded in a fair way,\u201d Khanna said. \u201cBut this shouldn\u2019t be about politics. Anyone who abuses young girls and staffers should not be in the United States Congress.”<\/p>\n