Eric Swalwell's California Governor Campaign Collapses Under Sexual Assault Allegations
Eric Swalwell's campaign for California governor fell into freefall Friday after four women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct, including a former staffer who says the Bay Area congressman raped her twice — an accusation Swalwell flatly denied while threatening legal action. Within hours, the political damage was catastrophic, sweeping away key endorsements, campaign staff, and financial backing in one of the most dramatic single-day collapses in recent California political history.
A former staffer told CNN that Swalwell raped her when she was heavily intoxicated, leaving her bruised and bleeding in an incident she says occurred in 2024 after she had stopped working in his office. "I was pushing him off of me, saying no," the woman said. "He didn't stop." She described it as the second incident of nonconsensual sexual contact with Swalwell. The first alleged assault occurred in 2019 when she was 21 years old and still employed in his Castro Valley district office, when she said she became severely intoxicated and woke up naked in his hotel bed.
The San Francisco Chronicle corroborated her account with text messages she sent a friend at the time, interviews with that friend and her then-boyfriend, and medical records showing she obtained pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease tests a week after the alleged 2024 assault. CNN reported it independently found corroboration for key elements of each of the four women's accounts.
Two additional women separately alleged that Swalwell sent them unsolicited photos of his genitals and explicit messages. Social media creator Ally Sammarco said she had initially connected with Swalwell over Democratic politics online, after which he allegedly switched their communications to Snapchat and shared explicit images. A fourth woman described waking up in his hotel room with little memory of the night after a drinking session with him.
Cheyenne Hunt, a Laguna Hills attorney and executive director of Gen-Z for Change, played a central role in bringing the allegations into public view, announcing she had been personally working with the women to secure legal representation and connect them with major outlets. "This is just the beginning," Hunt said in response to the Chronicle story.
Swalwell denied all the allegations, calling them false and politically motivated. "These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the front-runner for governor," he said. "For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman — and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children." His wife, Brittany Watts, a hospitality professional who has worked as director of sales at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, has generally stayed away from the political spotlight throughout Swalwell's career. The couple married in 2016 and have three children.
The exodus of allies was swift and severe. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, who chaired Swalwell's campaign, resigned immediately and called the allegations "the ugliest and most serious accusations imaginable," demanding Swalwell exit the race at once. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called on Swalwell to drop out. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told him to end his bid. California Sen. Adam Schiff and Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, both longtime allies, withdrew their endorsements. The California Teachers Association rescinded its endorsement by unanimous board vote. The political action committee supporting Swalwell's campaign suspended all activities.
Billionaire Tom Steyer, a competing Democratic gubernatorial candidate, said Swalwell "should be nowhere near any position of power, much less be the governor of California" and demanded he resign from Congress immediately. Former Rep. Katie Porter and other Democratic rivals joined the chorus. Prediction markets swung dramatically, with Steyer's odds of winning the governorship jumping to 56 percent while Swalwell's dropped to 7 percent.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, who has previously clashed with Swalwell, amplified the allegations on social media alongside a broader condemnation of congressional misconduct, posting that she is "sick of serving in Congress with immoral freaks who abuse their office." The California primary is scheduled for June 2, with the crowded field now suddenly reshaped by the most explosive scandal of the ca governor race cycle.
