Eric Swalwell joins the race for California governor
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell announced on Nov. 20 during his appearance on the late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” his decision to run for California governor in the 2026 election.
Swalwell has been the representative of District 14, located in the East Bay consisting of the San Francisco Bay Area, since 2023 and previously represented District 15 from 2013 to 2023. He ran in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries before withdrawing and endorsing Joe Biden. Swalwell also served as a House manager in the 2021 impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
As Gavin Newsom’s term as California governor ends in January 2027, 10 candidates have launched their campaigns for the June primary election. The Democratic representatives include Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Tom Steyer, Betty Yee, Tony Thurmond, Ian Calderon and Eric Swalwell. The Republican representatives include Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton. The top two candidates who receive the most vote-by-mail ballots on June 2 will advance to the general election in November.
On Nov. 21, Swalwell made his first campaign stop at Altadena, California where he spoke to voters in a fire-ravaged area, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. “People are scared and prices are high, and I have been a fighter, a protector for this state in Congress,” Swalwell said. “I have done everything I can to keep the president out of our homes, out of our streets, out of our lives, which is what Californians want right now.”
In a statement on his campaign website, Swalwell shared his motives for running for governor and addressed the areas he plans to improve. “I’ve worked as a planning commissioner and city councilman in a place of low income and low expectations and helped lead my hometown to become one of California’s most prosperous cities. I’ll take that approach to the whole state,” Swalwell said. “My priorities will be homes and jobs. The average first-time homeowner is 40 years old, and we have the highest unemployment rate in America.”
