By California Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell, once a frontrunner in the 2026 governor’s race, is now fighting for his political survival. A wave of sexual misconduct claims — including a formal allegation of sexual assault from a former staffer — has thrown his campaign into crisis.
Major allies have abandoned him. Senior campaign staffers have resigned. And a growing number of Democratic leaders are publicly calling on Swalwell to exit the race entirely.
1. The First Allegation: A Former Staffer Comes Forward
The most significant accusation against Eric Swalwell came from the San Francisco Chronicle on April 10, 2026. The Chronicle reported that a woman who worked in Swalwell’s Castro Valley office claimed to have had sexual encounters with him while she worked for him and alleged he sexually assaulted her when she was intoxicated.
The woman worked for Swalwell in 2019 when the first alleged assault occurred, and a 2024 assault allegedly occurred after a charity gala. She says she was too intoxicated to consent on both occasions.
The Chronicle says it reviewed text messages she sent to a friend about the encounter three days later, which included that she told Swalwell to stop. The paper also interviewed her boyfriend at the time, who confirmed she told him about the alleged assault, and reporters viewed medical records showing she sought pregnancy and STD tests afterward.
According to the report, she alleged that Swalwell messaged her on social media, sending explicit photos and asking her for nude photos.
2. CNN Reports Four Women Describe Misconduct
Hours after the Chronicle story broke, CNN published its own investigation. CNN reported on sexual misconduct allegations against Swalwell from four women, including one whose story matches the details in the Chronicle account. Another woman told CNN that Swalwell kissed her without her consent in public and that she drank heavily with him before ending up in his hotel room, with no idea how she got there. A third, Ally Sammarco, a Democratic influencer, said Swalwell sent her unsolicited videos of his genitals.
CNN said it corroborated the women’s accounts through interviews with friends and family members, as well as by reviewing messages Swalwell exchanged with the women.
These sexual misconduct claims paint a pattern of alleged behavior spanning years — and involving women in or adjacent to his professional circle.
3. Social Media Allegations and Cheyenne Hunt’s WarningÂ
The Chronicle and CNN reports didn’t emerge from nowhere. Weeks earlier, social media began circulating alarming accusations.
Allegations of wrongdoing against Swalwell emerged on social media through accounts of progressive influencers. Cheyenne Hunt, a lawyer and former congressional candidate who is the executive director of Gen-Z for Change, said she is working with a number of women who are in the process of coming forward and sharing their stories of sexual harassment and even alleged abuse at the hands of Eric Swalwell.
Hunt said that since posting her original video detailing Swalwell’s alleged advances, she had been contacted by a number of other women sharing similar experiences.
One private message that Hunt shared online read: “You know, Eric Swalwell has slept with many of his interns and makes them all sign NDAs so they don’t speak up. And when I was 19, he tried hitting on me and sliding into my DMs.”
Hunt’s accusations fueled a broader online conversation — and, according to her, more women reaching out privately.
View this post on Instagram
4. Cease-and-Desist Letters and the Legal Response
Rather than staying silent, Swalwell’s legal team went on the offensive — before any formal report was published.
A former staffer confirmed she made the allegations and received a cease-and-desist letter from Swalwell’s lawyer. The letter, dated April 9 and sent via text message by the Los Angeles law firm Dabaie Kelley, demanded the recipient “immediately and permanently” stop discussing the accusations in any form — oral, written, or electronic.
At least two women received cease-and-desist letters after rumors circulated on social media about multiple allegations of nonconsensual sexual encounters.
The move drew sharp criticism. Hunt wrote on X: “These cease and desists are a disgusting abuse of power against brave women who are courageously working together to share their stories.”
Swalwell’s campaign had also issued a pre-emptive denial days before the Chronicle story ran. The statement did not mention or address any specific allegations but said that no one in his congressional office had ever been asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement.
5. Political Fallout: Allies Resign, Democrats Demand He Drop OutÂ
The sexual misconduct claims against Eric Swalwell have triggered one of the fastest political collapses in California’s 2026 governor’s race.
At least four of his senior campaign staffers, including a top consultant who helped him court labor support, abruptly resigned before the news report.
Swalwell’s campaign chair, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, resigned following the Chronicle report and called for the congressman to withdraw. “Today I learned shocking information about Eric Swalwell containing the ugliest and most serious accusation imaginable,” Gomez said.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan posted on X: “To the survivor who risked everything to come forward — I believe you. To the Democratic Party — you’d better hold him accountable. If we don’t, we have no credibility asking anyone else to do the same. To @ericswalwell — drop out.”
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla also called on Swalwell to step aside, saying: “These allegations are deeply serious and warrant a full investigation. Survivors deserve to be heard and treated with dignity and respect.”
Perhaps most notably, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, a fellow Bay Area Democrat and close ally, suggested that he drop out of the race, saying: “This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability.”
California Democratic Party chair Rusty Hicks called the allegations “deeply disturbing” and said that any person engaged in misconduct must take responsibility and be held accountable — including a member of Congress and candidate for governor.
6. What Eric Swalwell Says
Eric Swalwell has denied every allegation against him — firmly and repeatedly.
Swalwell said in a statement: “These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor. 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.”
His campaign communications director Micah Beasley said the rumors were being spread by “flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists” because Swalwell was leading in the race.
Beasley also stated that in 13 years, no one in Swalwell’s congressional office had ever been asked to sign an NDA, and that not a single ethics complaint by any staff had ever been lodged.
At a Sacramento town hall earlier in the week, Swalwell addressed the social media rumors directly. He told reporters: “It’s false, and some of the allegations are that we had NDAs. Never. Never been an allegation, never been a settlement.”
7. What Happens Next
Eric Swalwell remains in the California governor’s race — for now. But the ground beneath his campaign is shifting fast.
Mail-in voting for the primary begins on May 4, and the gubernatorial primary is June 2. With ballots weeks away, the pressure to make a decision is acute.
Anti-Trump Republican strategist Mike Madrid said Swalwell was in the process of consolidating the field before the allegations dropped. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the top-tier candidates are no longer the top-tier candidates in 30 days,” Madrid said.
The allegations remain unproven in court. Swalwell has denied all wrongdoing and has not withdrawn from the race. But with Nancy Pelosi, Jimmy Gomez, Alex Padilla, and other senior Democrats calling for accountability — or an exit — Swalwell’s path forward grows narrower by the hour.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, RAINN’s 24/7 National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
The story is still developing. Follow our coverage for the latest updates on Eric Swalwell and the California governor’s race.
