Eric Swalwell drops bid for California governor after sexual misconduct allegations

The Democratic candidate faced immediate calls to drop out, with many Democrats withdrawing their endorsements.

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell said Sunday that he is dropping out of the race for California governor after days of pressure from his close allies and staffers over multiple sexual misconduct allegations levied against him.

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"I am suspending my campaign for Governor," Swalwell said 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."

His statement follows a torrent of criticism from both sides of the aisle after a former staffer alleged in a San Francisco Chronicle article published Friday that she had sexual encounters with the congressman while she was working in his office and that he sexually assaulted her twice while she was too intoxicated to consent. NBC News has not verified her allegations, but it confirmed her identity and that she worked for Swalwell from 2019 until 2021.