California Democrats are facing an awkward new reality after allegations of sexual assault were made against Rep. Eric Swalwell, with public pressure splintering along a pretty familiar fault line: some Democrats want him out of the race for governor, others also want him to resign his House seat, and many so far have said little at all.
Misryoum newsroom reported that the case centers on claims from multiple women, including an allegation from a former Swalwell staffer that he sexually assaulted her twice when she was intoxicated and could not give consent. Three other women, including Democratic content creator Ally Sammarco, also came forward, claiming the frontrunner to become the Golden State’s next governor committed sexual misconduct against them.
Swalwell has denied the allegations, posting late Friday on X that they are “flat false.” In a short video he said, “They did not happen, they have never happened and I will fight them with everything that I have,” and he suggested the allegations surfaced weeks before California’s June 2 gubernatorial primary to derail his frontrunner status in the race. Still, many Democratic colleagues appear unmoved by his denial, even as they differ on what they want him to do next—exit the governor’s campaign, step away from Congress, or both.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom—who has not endorsed a candidate in the race to succeed him—issued a one-sentence statement saying, “As we continue to learn more, these allegations from multiple sources are deeply troubling and must be taken seriously.” Misryoum reached out to Newsom’s office for more comment but did not immediately receive a response. By contrast, both California senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, called for Swalwell to exit the gubernatorial race while stopping short of explicitly calling for him to resign his House seat, where he is not seeking reelection. Schiff also said he was retracting an endorsement he previously offered in the primary.
Inside the House delegation, the split is sharper. Of the 42 California Democrats who serve in the House alongside Swalwell, Misryoum editorial desk noted that just three—Reps. Jared Huffman, Sam Liccardo and Mike Levin, who are both attorneys—said he should resign. Misryoum newsroom reported that many others instead focused on ending or suspending his gubernatorial bid, with only a handful making any clear demand beyond that. Others, at least as of Saturday afternoon in Misryoum’s tracking, appeared to remain silent. In the background, you could almost feel the uncertainty in how quickly people were posting and then not answering follow-up questions—like the newsroom phone kept ringing, but the answers stayed stuck in “we’ll see.”
Misryoum editorial team stated that former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi released a late Friday statement calling the allegations “an extremely sensitive matter” that must be “appropriately investigated,” and she wrote it was best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign—an implication that she supports him dropping out. House Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar also urged Swalwell to immediately end his campaign to be California’s governor, writing that the “incredibly serious and disturbing allegations against him must be investigated fully,” though Aguilar has apparently not called for resignation from Congress. Aguilar’s vice caucus chair, Rep. Ted Lieu, meanwhile wrote Friday he was withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell.
Several Democrats also made clear they were backing investigations, not just political consequences. Rep. Ro Khanna wrote that there “must be the appropriate law enforcement investigations and House ethics investigations” into Swalwell and said he “must be held accountable.” Rep. Jimmy Gomez resigned from his role as co-chair of Swalwell’s campaign and called for him to drop out, calling the allegations “shocking,” though he had not yet called for a House resignation in Misryoum’s review. Rep. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff each used language about stepping aside for “a full, transparent investigation free from undue influence,” Misryoum newsroom reported. And on Saturday, Reps. Huffman and others went further—Huffman later wrote that Swalwell “must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress,” adding that he had “seen enough,” and even suggested support for expelling Swalwell from the House.
The pressure also spread to local officials tied to the campaign. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote late Saturday that Swalwell “should end his campaign and resign from Congress immediately,” saying his “conduct is incompatible with elected office.” Misryoum newsroom reported that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has opened an investigation into the allegations regarding Swalwell. At least for now, many Democrats appear to be waiting to see what investigations find—while a few are already drawing lines they don’t plan to cross back over. And that tension, in a state where endorsements can flip fast, is still hanging in the air—like the faint smell of fresh coffee in a hallway, not quite settling, not quite moving on.