Representative Eric Swalwell, an LGBTQ+ ally and long-time supporter of queer rights, has abruptly suspended his California gubernatorial campaign following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations that have fundamentally destabilized his political standing.
The exit follows intense scrutiny over claims of inappropriate workplace conduct, including allegations of sexual assault by a former staffer and the sending of unsolicited explicit images to multiple women.
In a forceful response, Swalwell has flatly denied the most serious accusations, labeling them “absolutely false” and a “coordinated effort” to derail his candidacy, though he did offer a public apology to his family for “mistakes in judgment” that he described as personal matters between himself and his wife.
