Rep. Eric Swalwell's bid for California governor collapsed Saturday when the last of his congressional endorsements vanished, capping a stunning 24-hour political meltdown triggered by allegations of rape and sexual assault that he denies.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona rescinded her support, joining four other House Democrats who pulled back their endorsements the same day. The withdrawals followed a larger exodus on Friday when roughly a dozen congressional Democrats, including Sens. Adam Schiff and Ruben Gallego, abandoned the California Democrat. Rep. Jimmy Gomez even resigned as a campaign chair.
The fallout extends beyond Capitol Hill. Swalwell's ActBlue fundraising page has been taken down, his campaign website removed the endorsements tab, and ad spending is being scaled back. At least one fundraiser was canceled. Campaign staff are reportedly leaving in waves.
Party leadership has stopped short of waiting for him to make his own choice. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar jointly called on Swalwell to "immediately end his campaign." California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks amplified the message, saying candidates should reassess whether their campaigns remain viable.
Swalwell's predicament extends beyond the primary race. He faces investigation by the Manhattan district attorney, and Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has signaled plans to bring an expulsion vote against him in Congress.
In a video posted Friday, Swalwell declared the allegations "flat false" and said they "never happened." He has not addressed the broader implosion publicly since then.
Grijalva's statement encapsulated the swift reversal: "The allegations of sexual assault against Eric Swalwell are deeply disturbing and disqualifying. I am retracting my endorsement of his candidacy for Governor."
Swalwell had emerged as a competitive candidate with those 21 congressional endorsements backing him, positioning him as a credible option in a crowded field. The complete evaporation of that support within hours underscores how rapidly political standing can crumble when institutional allies decide the damage is irreversible.
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