California Governor Race: The Eric Swalwell Scandal, Explained

This story first appeared in the Today, Explained newsletter. Understand the world with a daily explainer plus the most compelling stories of the day. Log in here.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) suspended his campaign for governor of California on Sunday after a series of disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct. The scandal drew a backlash from Democrats nationwide as they sought to oust him and keep the fallout contained.

Just a few days ago, Swalwell was one of the front-runners in a crowded primary field to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom — a position with tremendous political and political influence, and a potential star-making role in American politics. Instead, Swalwell now finds himself almost completely isolated, with some Democrats even calling for his expulsion from Congress.

The 45-year-old is a politically generic Democrat whose takedowns of Trump on cable news and social media have made him popular in resistance circles. You can also remember his extremely short-lived presidential run in the 2020 cycle.

What exactly are the allegations?

The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Friday that an unnamed former staff member alleged that the married Swalwell pursued her for an affair after she was hired at the age of 21, including by sending lewd photos via Snapchat. Their relationship became physical, but she said he sexually assaulted her on two occasions in which she was too drunk to consent. CNN told its own story the same day, which included the staffer’s account, along with three additional women who described unsolicited sexual advances by the congressman, including one who said he took her to his hotel room while she was drunk.

He called the allegations “absolutely false,” denied any non-consensual conduct, and said the allegations “come on the eve of an election where I was the front-runner for governor,” implying they were politically motivated. However, he also admitted unspecified “errors of judgment” that he says “is between me and my wife.” in announced his departure Of the race, he reiterated that he had made “mistakes” but said he planned to “fight the serious, false allegations that have been made.”

How did the Democrats respond?

By canceling his candidacy. Shortly after the allegations were reported, sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a close friend who led Swalwell’s presidential campaign and may similar ambitions of his own, withdrew his approval along with many other supporters. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called him to drop out. Major labor groups backing his candidacy also withdrew their support.

What is happening now in the governor’s race?

Swalwell was the nominal front-runner in a race where no candidate caught fire. The next candidate in a weak Democratic field is Tom Steyer, a Democratic mega-donor and 2020 co-president whose self-funded campaign has so far defeated opponents such as former Rep. Katie Porter, former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and former Los Angeles Mayor, among others.

California’s June 2 race is a “jungle primary” where candidates from all parties run simultaneously and the top two advance. There has been some concern among Democrats that two Republican candidates could take both slots, leaving Democrats locked out of the general election, but Swalwell’s collapse could help Democrats consolidate their vote, while Trump’s recent endorsement of former Fox News host Steve Hilton is likely to do the same on the Republican side.

And before you ask: Yes, it is too late for Kamala Harris to intervene.

What about Swalwell’s work in Congress?

Republicans are threatening to call a vote on his suspension from the House. That could lead Democrats to do so call for eviction votes of their own against Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) and Cory Mills (R-FL) about their respective scandals, which in turn could also lead to an eviction vote for Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL)who is facing charges of corruption. The votes are unlikely to pass, as expulsion requires a two-thirds majority. But Axios reports that at least some Democrats and Republicans have indicated they will cross party lines and vote to expel several members, so there may be more bipartisan consensus than you might expect.