Eric Swalwell ends campaign for California governor after sexual misconduct allegations

[AverageOldGuy]

Source: CNN

Rep. Eric Swalwell said Sunday he would withdraw from the California governor’s race in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct that led to a nearly immediate campaign collapse, as staffers quit and prominent Democratic supporters urged him to drop out.

“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” he posted on X. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/12/politics/eric-swalwell-ends-campaign-for-california-governor-after-sexual-misconduct-allegations

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My comment? We have a President in this country against whom the allegations, personal accounts, and overwhelming evidence of a lifetime of sexual abuse should have him in jail.

What does this have to so with Swalwell? Nothing but I just wanted to point out the hypocrisy.

[TexasBushwhacker]

2. GOOD! Now some of the bottom ranked Dems

need to drop out as well. Democratic support needs to consolidate around 2 candidates at most.

[JustAnotherGen]

7. Let the people be heard

I'd hate to see Becerra drop out because it's too much heat on Steyer and Porter.

[TexasBushwhacker]

11. The more that stay in, the more risk that the top 2

Will both be Republicans. That would be catastrophic.

[FHRRK1]

14. I'm confident Steyer will be in top 2 in any poll next week

Now to get a 2nd Dem to jump into top two.

[LeftInTX]

21. How about that Barrack Obama Shaw guy?

There are alot of candidates just taking up space on that ballot. Looking for 15 minutes of fame!

[riversedge]

3. Sad to see this

[calimary]

18. He had to.

I feel bad for all the voters who thought they’d “found their man”. I feel it, too.

It can be damn hard AND miserable when hopes are dashed.

[MichMan]

4. Too late to actually remove him from the ballot, right?

[pnwmom]

5. The Democrats aren't being hypocritical; we're being consistent. nt

[relayerbob]

6. There appears to be more than "mistakes in judgment" going on

"We, the undersigned former staffers of Congressman Eric Swalwell, write today with heavy hearts andunwavering resolve. The allegations reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN are serious, credible,and demand accountability. We stand unequivocally with our colleague, who showed extraordinary couragein coming forward to share her truth. We believe her." Signed by 55 staffers.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28037289-former-swalwell-staffers-denounce-alleged-misconduct-in-new-letter/

[Jose Garcia]

8. Apparently Democratic voters have higher standards than Republican voters

[MichMan]

9. Voters weren't the ones making the decision

[ananda]

10. Republicans have standards?

I wasn't aware.

[wolfie001]

12. So we can stop with the tearing down and move onto our next best candidate!

I've been summoned to many jury duties lately. Many for me that is.

[BurnDoubt]

13. I suggest he now go "all in"...

And take the fight to the Republicans like a Berzerker, with nothing left to lose, now that he's out.
He still has a role to play.


And, yes, the Party needs to winnow down to two Democrats by Primary time.
"Ranked Choice" is Republican invention crafted for a very Blue state, much like the "Willie Brown" term limits law crappola, to dislodge a politician whose district returned him to office over-and-over again.

[jgmiller]

15. Unfortunately it's too late to remove him from the ballot

We need others to drop out as well, I'm not sure I'm a Porter fan anymore and Steyer makes me nervous but we need those two to pretty much have a clear field so we don't end up with Bianco and Hilton 1 and 2.

In the worst case scenario if the GOP gets 1 & 2 in the primary I'm assuming Steyer would run as an independant in the general since he has the money and the organization to pull it off. In that case I have to believe he would win but I'd rather not get into that situation.

[Brother Buzz]

16. I believe California's sore loser law would prohibit Steyer for running as an independent candidate

8301.
A candidate for whom a nomination paper has been filed as a partisan candidate at a primary election, and who is defeated for his or her party nomination at the primary election, is ineligible for nomination as an independent candidate.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=ELEC§ionNum=8301

[SunSeeker]

19. What about as a write in candidate like Lisa Murkowski did in Alaska?

Also, it does not appear that section 8301 applies in this situation. If the two Republicans win the jungle primary, that does not amount to Steyer being “defeated for his or her party nomination at the primary election,” since neither of the two Republican douchebags is seeking Steyer’s party’s nomination; they’re running as Republicans, not Democrats.

[Brother Buzz]

20. I don't think that works either

All candidates for voter-nominated offices are listed on one ballot and only the top two vote-getters in the primary election – regardless of party preference - move on to the general election. Write-in candidates for voter-nominated offices can only run in the primary election. A write-in candidate will only move on to the general election if the candidate is one of the top two vote-getters in the primary election.

https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/primary-elections-california

[jgmiller]

22. I didn't realize that thanks for the correction

[Buddyzbuddy]

17. Ok, done. What's next.

[SoFlaBro]

23. It is fucking time for a safe choice so that we won't have any more of this shit. No more fuckups.