Lonna Drewes, a woman with sexual misconduct allegations against U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, reacts as she holds a press conference with her attorneys Lisa Bloom and Arick Fudali, in Beverly Hills, California, U.S. April 14, 2026. REUTERS/Jill Connelly
(Sacramento, CA) – Former Congressman Eric Swalwell has dropped out of the race to be the next governor of California after claims of sexual assault from multiple women and former staffers. Swalwell also announced his plans to resign from Congress in the wake of the allegations as he was facing possible expulsion from the lower chamber. Now the race to fill the seat of term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom has been upended since Swalwell was largely considered one of the front-runners, so what does this mean for the electoral horserace to lead the most populous state in the country?
Hilton & Steyer to the Front
Businessman Tom Steyer has gotten a big boost of support from the Democratic base and strategists believe he could come out on top. However, the Golden State’s ranked choice voting system in combination with a crowded field is leaving a lot of room for speculation. The latest poll from Emerson College shows that Republican candidate, Steve Hinton, received the most support from voters. Data shows that Democratic candidate and former US Health Secretary, Xavier Becerra, got a lot of support following Swalwell’s exit from the race.
GOP Candidate Steve Hilton has been endorsed by President Trump, but he still splits the vote with another candidate, Sheriff Chad Bianco. President Trump went after Fox News in a post on Truth Social, demanding to know why the network was doing a piece on Tom Steyer, instead of the GOP frontrunner:
Show Me the Money
In the quest to become the most powerful person in the state, billionaire Tom Steyer has been going on a spending spree to get his face on as many screens as possible. Data from AdImpact shows Steyer shelled out over $115 million in ads, and the Associated Press reports that’s nearly 30 times more than his closest Democratic rival. Steyer has notably never held elected office. Meanwhile, the GOP is being a bit more conservative. According to Transparency USA, Hilton has only spent $836,700 in campaign finances.
Victims Speak Out
This past week, several victims came forward claiming sexual misconduct by the former congressman. One of those victims, Lonna Drews, held a news conference where she detailed the alleged assault. She believes she was drugged by Swalwell after she blacked out off of a single glass of wine. While she did not have a rape kit done, she did disclose the incident to people she was close with at the time. San Francisco Chronicle and CNN were the first to break the story with four women, including a former staffer, coming forward with allegations against Swalwell.
Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna was on 77WABC’s Cats & Cosby, where she spoke about any other potential predators lingering in Congress
LA County, Manhattan DA & DOJ Announces Criminal Probe
After the bombshell allegations, the LA County Sheriff’s office announced a criminal investigation into the politician around a reported July 2018 incident at the Montrose Hotel in West Hollywood. Not to be outdone by local authorities, the feds also announced a Department of Justice probe. The US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro has even set up a tip line, asking anyone with information to come forward.
I have created a tip line to receive information regarding alleged sexual or inappropriate conduct in D.C. by Congressman Eric Swalwell.
The number to call is 202-252-0809 pic.twitter.com/25zAVY2SJK
— US Attorney Pirro (@USAttyPirro) April 15, 2026
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s Office announced they were also looking into one of the allegations against Swalwell – an aide claims Swalwell raped her in 2024 in a Manhattan hotel room. It is likely that Swalwell could face jail time
Swalwell Makes His Case
For his part, Swalwell is vehemently denying the claims against him. In a resignation statement read aloud on the House floor, he apologized for “mistakes and misjudgments made in his past” but also called the allegations against him false. Through an attorney spokesperson, Sara Azari, the former lawmaker said he intends to fight against the “baseless allegations” through every possible legal avenue, leaving the door open for a possible defamation lawsuit against the victims who have come forward.
If you or anyone you know is the victim of sexual assault & struggling, reach out to the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or chat online 24/7 at https://rainn.org/
