DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Barely any of Rep. Eric Swalwell’s fellow elected California Democrats have called for him to resign his Congressional seat—though some said he should drop out of the state’s gubernatorial race—after multiple women accused him of sexual assault Friday.
A former Swalwell staffer alleged he sexually assaulted her twice when she was intoxicated and could not give consent, the San Francisco Chronicle first reported Friday afternoon. 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, CNN first reported later that day.
The now-embattled Democrat lawmaker has vehemently denied the allegations, stating in a short video posted to X late Friday that they are “flat false.”
“They did not happen, they have never happened and I will fight them with everything that I have,” he added, before suggesting the allegations surfaced weeks before California’s June 2 gubernatorial primary to derail his frontrunner status in the race.
However, many of Swalwell’s House colleagues and other Democratic California elected officials—including some who had endorsed his bid for governor—do not appear to be buying his claims of innocence.
The Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) has subsequently compiled a list of where California Democrats, as of Saturday afternoon, stand on the allegations against the man who seemed just days earlier poised to lead the country’s most populous state.
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has not endorsed a candidate in the race to succeed him, has thus far only issued a one-sentence statement on the allegations, “As we continue to learn more, these allegations from multiple sources are deeply troubling and must be taken seriously.” The DCNF reached out to Newsom’s office for further comment but did not immediately receive a response.
On the other hand, both of California’s senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, have called for Swalwell to exit the gubernatorial race while stopping short of explicitly calling him to resign his House seat, to which he is not seeking reelection.
Schiff, who had endorsed Swalwell in the primary, announced he was retracting that expression of support. Padilla wrote Friday on X that Swalwell “should step aside to ensure a full, transparent investigation free from undue influence,” but did not explain if his call to “step aside” included resignation or merely withdrawing from the June 2 primary.
Spokespersons for Padilla and Schiff did not respond to the DCNF’s question of whether each believed Swalwell should resign.
Of the 42 California Democrats who serve in the House alongside Swalwell, just three—Reps. Jared Huffman, Sam Liccardo and Mike Levin, who are both attorneys—said he should resign. Only a handful have called for him to drop out of the race; over a dozen others have, at the time of writing, apparently remained silent.
Additionally, none of the Democrats responded to the DCNF’s separate question of whether each would support Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s planned motion to expel Swalwell from the House.
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who is not seeking reelection to a 21st term in November, issued a statement late Friday calling the allegations against Swalwell an “extremely sensitive matter” which must be “appropriately investigated.”
“As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign,” Pelosi wrote, suggesting she supports him dropping out of the race. Pelosi’s office referred the DCNF back to the former speaker’s statement when asked for clarification of her stance.
Democratic House Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, the No. 3 Democrat in Congress, in an X post, called for Swalwell to “immediately end his campaign to be California’s Governor. [sic]”
“The incredibly serious and disturbing allegations against him must be investigated fully,” he wrote.
However, Aguilar, like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, has apparently not called for Swalwell to resign his House seat, nor did his office respond to the DCNF’s question on the matter.
Aguilar’s vice caucus chair, Rep. Ted Lieu, wrote Friday in a one-sentence X post he was withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell in light of the allegations. A spokesperson for the No. 4 House Democrat did not respond to the DCNF’s questions of whether he believes Swalwell should drop out of the race or resign.
Rep. Jared Huffman had yet to make a public statement on the situation and did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment at the time of the story’s publication. However, later on Saturday, he wrote in an X post that Swalwell “must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress.”
The Northern California lawmaker also appeared to become the first Golden State Democrat to express openness to voting to expel Swalwell from Congress.
“I’ve seen enough. With his nuanced statement aimed at defending likely criminal charges, Swalwell all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules: sex with a subordinate,” Huffman wrote in his X post. “[Republican Texas] Rep. Tony Gonzales, who admitted to the same violation, should also resign. If they don’t, I will support voting to expel both of them.”
Rep. Mike Thompson, who endorsed Swalwell, issued a statement late Friday that he is withdrawing his support of the Democrat’s gubernatorial bid. The DCNF reached out to Thompson’s office to ask if he believes Swalwell should drop out of the race and resign his seat, but did not receive any response.
Like Thompson, Reps. Ami Bera and Doris Matsui also pulled their endorsements of Swalwell, but both have yet to indicate whether either believes the Bay Area Democrat should drop out or resign. The DCNF reached out to both of the Sacramento-area lawmakers’ offices regarding the matter but has yet to receive any response.
Rep. John Garamendi has apparently not publicly weighed in on the Swalwell allegations. The DCNF reached out to the 81-year-old congressman’s office but has yet to receive a response.
Rep. Josh Harder, who represents a seat President Donald Trump narrowly won in 2024, has thus far also seemingly remained silent. Harder’s office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
The Democrat representing a district neighboring Swalwell’s, Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, also has not publicly commented on the situation. DeSaulnier’s office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
Another Bay-area Democrat, Rep. Lateefah Simon, has also appeared to have not yet released a response. Her office did not respond to the DCNF’s inquiry.
Rep. Adam Gray, meanwhile, called the allegations against Swalwell “serious” and, while announcing on X his withdrawal of his endorsement of Swalwell, said he “should end his campaign immediately.” The DCNF reached out to Gray’s office to ask if he believes Swalwell should resign from Congress but did not immediately receive a response.
Rep. Kevin Mullin similarly wrote on X, “I am withdrawing my endorsement of his [Swalwell’s] campaign for governor and believe he should end his campaign.” Mullin’s office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s question about whether he believes his colleague should resign in light of the allegations Mullin said “deeply disturbed” him.
Rep. Sam Liccardo, an attorney with experience prosecuting sexual assault, was one of the few California Democrats to publicly say he would support Swalwell resigning from Congress, albeit if the allegations against him are substantiated.
“As a former prosecutor of sexual assault, I take these allegations very seriously. Survivors courageous enough to come forward deserve to be heard fully, without being smeared in the media by pundits or political hacks,” Liccardo wrote in an X post Friday. “Credible claims require a full investigation. If these allegations are substantiated, Congressman Swalwell should resign, and the consequences must follow the facts.”
Liccardo endorsed Swalwell’s primary opponent, and his successor as San Jose mayor, Matt Mahan, for governor. Mahan was one of the first California Democrats to publicly call for Swalwell to end his gubernatorial bid.
Rep. Ro Khanna wrote Friday on X there “must be the appropriate law enforcement investigations and House ethics investigations” into Swalwell, who he said “must be held accountable.”
“Meeting with Epstein survivors has taught me how much trauma survivors endure and how much courage it takes for them to speak up,” wrote Khanna, who in late 2025 successfully co-led an effort to force the House to vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files. “No one in a position of power should be allowed to act above the law or with impunity. It doesn’t matter what office you hold, how wealthy you are, or which political party you align with.”
“The same rules must apply to Eric Swalwell,” he noted. “There cannot be two tiers of justice in this nation.”
The DCNF reached out to Khanna’s office to ask him if he believes Swalwell should drop out of the race or resign his seat from Congress, but did not immediately receive a response. Months earlier, Khanna — who is known for his anti-billionaire rhetoric—endorsed Swalwell’s primary opponent, billionaire Tom Steyer, for governor.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren wrote in a statement posted to social media she was withdrawing her endorsement “of Congressman Swalwell’s campaign for Governor [sic],” adding she hopes “he will withdraw from the race.” The DCNF asked Lofgren’s office if she thinks Swalwell should resign from office but did not receive a response.
Rep. Jimmy Panetta, who had backed Swalwell’s candidacy, rescinded his endorsement nearly a full day after the allegations broke as “evidence continues to be discovered and facts are determined.” His statement did not call for Swalwell to drop out of the race or resign. The DCNF reached out to the congressman’s office for further comment but did not receive a response.
Reps. Jim Costa, Salud Carbajal, and George Whitesides also do not appear to have made comments about their colleague’s allegations, nor did any respond to the DCNF’s request for comment. However, Whitesides, a former NASA employee, still took time to make several X posts about the Artemis II mission since the Chronicle first reported the sexual assault allegations against Swalwell.
Rep. Julia Brownley told the DCNF she was withdrawing her week-old endorsement of Swalwell’s gubernatorial bid and calling for him to exit the race over the “serious and deeply disturbing” allegations. She did not answer the DCNF’s question of whether she would call for Swalwell to resign his seat in Congress.
“It takes extraordinary courage for women to come forward, and they deserve to be heard, respected, and protected from retaliation,” she wrote. “Under these circumstances, I cannot continue to support Eric. I am withdrawing my endorsement and calling on him to end his campaign for governor.”
Rep. Raul Ruiz withdrew his endorsement of Swalwell but did not call for him to exit the race or resign his House seat. The congressman’s office did not respond to the DNCF’s questions.
Los Angeles-area Reps. Judy Chu, Luz Rivas, and Brad Sherman do not appear to have commented on the situation concerning Swalwell, nor did any of their offices respond to the DNCF’s request for comment.
Rep. Laura Friedman called for Swalwell to end his gubernatorial campaign and for an investigation into his allegations. Her office did not respond when asked if she believes Swalwell should resign from Congress.
Rep. Gil Cisneros, in a 15-word X post, wrote he was withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell in “light of recent events,” without going into detail. Cisneros’s office did not respond to the DNCF when asked if he supports Swalwell dropping out of his race or resigning.
Rep. Norma Torres told the DCNF in a statement the allegations “are deeply serious and disturbing,” and said Swalwell should drop out of the gubernatorial race. Her office, however, did not answer the DCNF’s question of whether she thinks her colleague should resign his House seat.
“I believe that given the gravity of these accusations, he should suspend his campaign and focus on clearing his name,” added the congresswoman, who has not publicly endorsed a candidate for governor. “Survivors must always be taken seriously, and the public deserves full transparency and accountability.”
Rep. Jimmy Gomez resigned from his position as co-chair of Swalwell’s campaign and called for his colleague to drop out of the gubernatorial race shortly after the Chronicle published its bombshell story. However, he has yet to called for Swalwell to resign his House seat over the allegations he called “shocking,” and his office did not respond to the DCNF’s question on the topic.
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, who endorsed Swalwell, withdrew her support via a Friday statement noting it is in the “best interest of Californians he leave the race.” Her office did not respond to the DCNF’s question about whether she would support Swalwell resigning.
Rep. Linda Sanchez also withdrew her endorsement of Swalwell, adding in an X post the allegations “horrified” her. Still, she has yet to call for the congressman to resign and her office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
Although he was able to make an X post supporting mail-in voting, Rep. Mark Takano appears to not have commented on Swalwell’s allegations, nor did his spokesperson respond to the DCNF’s questions about where he stands.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, called on X for Swalwell to “leave the Governor’s [sic] race immediately.”
“There is no place in our country or the Democratic Party for those who abuse women and girls,” he continued. The DCNF asked Garcia if he would also call for Swalwell to resign, but his office did not respond.
Rep. Maxine Waters, who has served in Congress since 1991, has not yet publicly commented on Swalwell’s situation. The 87-year-old’s office did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s questions.
Reps. Nanette Barragan and Lou Correa announced they were withdrawing their respective endorsements of Swalwell, with the latter implying the Bay-area Democrat was a “sexual predator.” Neither, however, responded to the DCNF’s question of whether each believed he should drop out of the race and resign his House seat.
Reps. Derek Tran and Dave Min, who both endorsed Swalwell’s primary opponent, former Rep. Katie Porter, in the gubernatorial race, apparently have not yet publicly commented on the allegations. Neither of their offices responded to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
Rep. Mike Levin wrote in a late Friday post to X that he believes Swalwell “should suspend his gubernatorial campaign immediately.”
“Should the facts bear out what has been alleged, resignation from Congress is the only appropriate outcome. The consequences here must be proportionate to the truth, wherever it leads,” the Southern California congressman, as well as an attorney, wrote.
Rep. Scott Peters announced he was withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell and called for him to exit the race in a statement sent to the DCNF.
“The allegations of wrongdoing against Eric Swalwell are shocking and extremely serious, and my heart goes out to anyone who was harmed. It is in everyone’s interest to ensure that justice is done,” he wrote. “There is no way that Eric can wage a viable campaign for Governor. I am withdrawing my support for him and asking him to do the right thing and cease his campaign.”
Peters’s office did not answer the DCNF’s question of whether he believes Swalwell should resign his seat in Congress.
Rep. Sara Jacobs, meanwhile, called the allegations against Swalwell “horrific” and said “it is clear” he should immediately drop out of the gubernatorial race.
“We need justice for survivors and accountability for abusers—no matter how powerful they are, what political party they belong to, or the political circumstances involved,” Jacobs wrote. She did, however, discuss her position on Swalwell resigning from Congress. Her office did not respond to the DCNF’s question on the matter.
Jacobs’s fellow San Diegan, Rep. Juan Vargas, does not appear to have publicly commented on Swalwell’s allegations. His office did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote on X late Saturday that Swalwell “should end his campaign and resign from Congress immediately,” noting the lawmaker’s “conduct is incompatible with elected office.”
“The women who came forward deserve to be heard and deserve justice,” added Bass, who served alongside Swalwell in Congress from 2013 to 2022.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has opened an investigation into the allegations regarding Swalwell, The New York Times reported Saturday.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Rep. Huffman’s statement in favor of Swalwell’s resignation, which he made after publication.
