Eric Swalwell Resigns From Congress Amid Misconduct Allegations

Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell announced on Monday, April 13, 2026, that he will resign from Congress following a series of sexual assault and misconduct allegations. The announcement comes amid bipartisan calls for his resignation and a formal investigation by the House Ethics Committee into whether the California representative engaged in sexual misconduct.

The resignation coincides with Swalwell’s abrupt exit from the race for governor of California. His departure from the gubernatorial contest has created significant instability in a crowded field of candidates, leaving rivals to compete for his former supporters in a race that currently has no clear leader.

Allegations and Congressional Investigation

The decision to step down follows the emergence of multiple sexual assault allegations. Among these is a claim from a former staffer who stated that Swalwell sexually assaulted her.

The House Ethics Committee had already initiated an investigation into the representative’s conduct. These legal and ethical challenges prompted loud calls from both Democratic and Republican colleagues for Swalwell to vacate his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Impact on the California Gubernatorial Race

Swalwell’s withdrawal from the race for governor has caused immediate disruption to his campaign infrastructure and political standing. Reports indicate that staffers quit the campaign shortly after the allegations surfaced.

The candidate also experienced a rapid loss of political support. He almost immediately lost major endorsements from labor unions, which had previously backed his bid for the governorship.

Democratic leaders reportedly pressed Swalwell to drop out of the race to avoid further damage to the party’s prospects in the 2026 election. His exit has left the contest in a state of disarray, as other candidates now scramble to absorb the segment of the electorate that had supported his candidacy.

Prior to his exit, Swalwell had been active in the state, including holding a town hall meeting in Sacramento on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, where he spoke with reporters and posed for photographs with members of the Service Employees International Union.