Should Eric Swalwell drop out of the California gubernatorial race?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

204 votes, 18 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes
	149 (73%)
	No
	55 (27%)
	18 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[SheltieLover]

1. Absolutely not. This stinks of repuke rat fuckery, imo. Phone numbers can be pretty easily spoofed.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. What do you mean by rat fuckery and spoofed phone numbers?

[Fiendish Thingy]

29. So the republicans planted operatives on Swallwell's staff for *six* years?

And instructed them to wait until he ran for governor, and it was too late to remove his name from the ballot, for them to go on the record with reports of sexual misconduct?

The oldest of the allegations dates to 2019, quite a long time for a ratfuckery scheme to unfold for a campaign that was not even dreamt of at the time.

[W_HAMILTON]

104. It ain't just attacks from our right that we need to worry about nowadays...

[Boo1]

61. Why would Republicans want to do that?

They want Democrats to split the vote and their guys to come out on top of the jungle primary. Swalwell losing support/dropping out really hurts them.

[mchill]

83. He'll still be on the ballot and likely

Still get votes, but now less and instead of coming in first or second , the majority of Dem votes will likely be spread three ways. No doubt, if this is a Roger Stone job, this has been gamed out. I think it is bad for Dems.

[Boo1]

88. No

There were already 3 Dems splitting the vote. Swalwell was running in a dead heath or close with Steyer and Porter. Now his support is going to drop into the also-ran group and both of their shares are going to rise. The odds that atleast one Democrat makes the general election have risen dramatically and the odds of a Republican winning the general have dropped to almost nothing.

The last thing they wanted was one of those three to fall off.

The person who's going to benefit most from this is Katie Porter. She was polling in 3rd among the Democrats with a chance, and this makes it both easier for her to make the general AND gets the pressure off of her to drop out.

[FarPoint]

68. I don't want to be part of the knee jerk reactors....

i say wait until evidence comes forward.... I never felt that he was as he is being accused.... I can miss things, I know that....I did that with John Edwards back in the day.... so, I want to wait....

[SheltieLover]

85. Yes, I agree!

[Jedi Guy]

90. He had a solid shot at winning the nomination. If the GOP was going to fuck him over, why now?

Why not wait until after he won the primary to spring the trap? Dropping this on him during the primary is causing a stir, sure, but not even close to what it'd cause if they'd done so when he was the nominee.

I get the impulse to want to deny it. It sucks to think that this guy who's fearlessly gone after Trump may not be who we thought he was.

He's said he intends to fight the allegations so we can hope he has evidence that'll conclusively refute them.

[SheltieLover]

99. They knew they couldn't beat him, hence the rat fuckery to remove him

[Jedi Guy]

108. I think you might have missed my point.

It makes more sense to launch the attack if he won the primary. That would do the most damage and throw the Democratic Party into much more of a tangle. Take the shot when it will do maximum damage.

And that's not even addressing the fact that some of the accusers are former staffers, nor the fact that many of his current staff are jumping ship and many who endorsed him are pulling said endorsements. It gives the impression that they believe there's substance to the allegations and that's not something the GOP can just fabricate out of whole cloth.

If these were just fabrications without a shred of substance to them it would make more sense to circle the wagons but that's not what's happening.

[tinrobot]

91. Wouldn't the Republicans wait until AFTER the primary to drop this?

Their best hope is for Democrats to split the ticket so much that the Republicans get two on the ballot.

This does not further that agenda.

[lostincalifornia]

5. Haven't several women come forward making accusations against him?

[ZDU]

6. That doesn't pass the smell test for me

Just sayin'

[stopdiggin]

15. how about his own campaign staff - upping sticks and departing forthwith .. ?

that fragrance meet the standard ?

and then you might look at post #3 ...

[ZDU]

24. I'll wait for him to admit it....

Or Marjorie Taylor Green to flash dick pics

[stopdiggin]

26. That would be an attempt at humor .... Right? ... - - - - - - - - -(nt)-

[Maru Kitteh]

97. Abusing women is funny, if the man accused is on our "team."

Because it’s all a game, it’s just about which team is winning. Super-Mega Bonus Points if that man is white. What’s the matter? Relax. Give us a smile and be a good girl.

Yeah. For survivors, none of this is new.

We see you.

[stopdiggin]

100. "I'll wait for him to admit it .. " Ummm .. ? Kay .. ?

I'll reiterate - I'm generally not big on jumping on bandwagons - and that is not my intent here either.

But, have to admit ... Somewhat astonished and a bit taken aback - at some of the discourse I'm seeing ... ?
(this is DU ?)

[Auggie]

23. Pelosi and her staff worked with Swalwell and his staff ...

and she's calling for him to step down. My guess is that the allegations have been substantiated for her by a congressional staffer she trusts. She wouldn't call for dismissal otherwise.

[Bobstandard]

67. If that's what Pelosi says, case for continued candidacy closed.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. I am the pollster. I'm not going to bias my poll in either direction.

[ZDU]

8. Understood

And good for you too

[LonePirate]

11. We cannot be the party that speaks out against Trump's harassment claims while turning a blind eye to Swalwell's.

It makes us look like partisan hypocrites and it damages our credibility with the majority of people in the party (women). We have to be the better party.

[LonePirate]

18. That's bullshit. Due process has nothing to do with it and it is not being thrown out the window.

Let Swalwell have his day in court. If he is found innocent, then he can run in 2030. Until then, he should not be running any sort of campaign as these allegations distract from his message/campaign and they tarnish the image of the party as a whole. Frankly, it boils down to whether you believe his accusers (women) or him.

[EdmondDantes_]

19. Due process is still a legal term as you already tried to use

We aren't throwing him in jail without a trial. If I call my boss an idiot, he doesn't owe me due process and a legal hearing before firing me.

[mr715]

37. There is no due process in politics.

Stop making this absurd claim.

He gets due process when he goes to court.

He isn't owed due process because he is running an election.

Just stop.

[vapor2]

80. Part of me agrees but......

We play by the rules and where does it get us? Just sayin

[TexasBushwhacker]

113. BBut I get them impression that Swalwell has admitted

He's vigorously defending himself against charges of rape, but he's also said he's "not a saint"
and owes his wife an apology or ten.

We went through this shit with Bill Clinton and Andrew Cuomo. It's not only about consent. Bosses aren't supposed to pursue their employees. That's sexual harassment and it's WRONG.

I hope he drops out and throws his support to Katie Porter. He's not going to be elected governor. It's over.

[PatSeg]

22. That's what the right depends on

They know that Democrats will try to do the right thing in comparison with republicans and as such, will end up eating our own. Sadly, we've fallen into that trap numerous times.

[SheltieLover]

28. Absolutely correct! Phone numbers can be easily spoofed.

[PatSeg]

52. Yep, we've seen this movie so many times

Meanwhile, their side commits blatant in-your-face offenses on a regular basis and rarely get called on it.

[SheltieLover]

54. And their dear leader is an adjudicated rapist, so repukes should stfu imo

[Lifeafter70]

114. You keep saying phone numbers can be spoofed

Are you saying that someone impersonated Salwell in sending texts to the women? Did they also impersonate him in the bar, restaurant and hotel room.
Or are you saying all four women are lying.

I get it. He was my choice too but I believe the women.

[LonePirate]

49. If doing the right thing is akin to falling into a trap for you, then we have different morals and viewpoints.

[PatSeg]

51. Of course I don't believe doing what's right is immoral

Last edited Sun Apr 12, 2026, 10:40 AM - Edit history (1)

I am commenting on the right's ability to try and use it against us. I really don't know what the answer is.

[stopdiggin]

103. but you will admit that people that DO possess morals - might have difficulty

pulling the lever for someone sporting apparent red flags and question marks .. ?
How is this going down with Mr. and Mrs. average voter? (and isn't that a point that Pelosi, Raskin and the rest of the party have a right to address?)

[EarlG]

30. How about flipping the question

What are the reasons for Swalwell — accused by multiple women, losing staff, losing supporters, and now under investigation in New York for sexual assault — to stay IN the race?

Swalwell is currently being tried in the court of public opinion, where evidence is not required (even though there is apparently evidence of his guilt that the public has not seen yet). Democrats — both rank-and-file voters, as well as Democratic Party leaders — are generally not going to treat him like Republicans treat Trump, ie. turning a blind eye and pretending that serious accusations of sexual assault are no big deal.

His political capital is going to collapse, if it hasn’t already. So with half a dozen other Democrats in the race, what are the reasons for him to stay in at this point?

[mopinko]

40. you'd think the guy had a magic wand.

he’s absolutely expendable.

[mr715]

55. His magic wand is what got him in trouble.

[mopinko]

56. .

🤣😂

[LeftInTX]

92. I don't know about that magic wand....It seems to have a life of it's own....

[mr715]

96. Might be a witch stick.

[WizumbODaSage]

109. He Seems Like a Smart Guy..Closing In On Cali Guv?

I have to say though... if he's a political animal and he sees Cuomo, Weiner, Jesse, Jr. guys nearing Governor or President level and he notices these huge flameouts in recent memory and he's on the house J6 committee and every Republican has got the Chinese Spy thing on their lips the second his name comes up... what could possibly allow you to have this kind of thing hanging out there when you're chasing Cali Gov?? I guess he's used to a lot of access but isn't there a "straight 'n narrow" gene that kicks in when you're in the kill zone?

[Boo1]

66. Echoing this

GIven his current position and the situation inside of this camp.....how does he even see a path forward in this race?

[Auggie]

71. +1

[True Dough]

3. On the one hand, I remember the way the Al Franken ordeal went down

On the other hand, I trust this man and feel like he's well-informed enough to provide sound guidance:

[Zorro]

9. Katie Porter may be expecting to pick up Swalwell's votes in the primary

but I think this will help Tom Steyer more -- and Ro Khanna just came out endorsing him.

[stopdiggin]

10. Unfortunately (because not a big, big fan) the removal of Swalwell leaves behind

a fairly weak Democratic slate. Nobody else there has any real traction (at least at this point). Could change, but ...

(and I know Katie Porter has fans - but she has also managed to piss off and leave a certain amount of people in the party unimpressed ... So, that doesn't look like the ace card that a lot of people seem to think .. )

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[WizumbODaSage]

112. Really.. DEM Party Is Not An Automatic Punched Ticket..

Party is still weak. Only a "Foolish Consistency" of Hard Work & effective campaigning is carrying recent candidates to encouraging victories.

[usonian]

14. I looked for the latest standings. April 7th may already be out of date.

https://www.270towin.com/2026-governor-polls/california

I deleted earlier numbers in my screenshot.

[David__77]

16. It would probably be disadvantageous for the Democratic Party if he were to do so

Given that he asserts that this is not what happened, it would seem a bit curious for him to withdraw from the race. The implication is that simply by being accused, even if the candidate believes the accusations are fabrications, it is best for the candidate to withdraw. Note that I am not speaking to the truthfulness of his assertions, just to their implications.

[leftstreet]

17. Extramarital affairs once tanked candidates

I hate this new discourse

[0rganism]

69. They'll still tank Democratic candidates

Republican candidates have somehow become so vile they transcend traditional morality, and are no longer subject to criticism for such activities.

But yeah, the new discourse sucks.

[Fresh_Start]

20. hell yes...the sooner the better

right now we are heading to a general election with only two republicans and no democrats...
there are too many democratic candidates running and he is looking very poor with multiple accusations and his own staff departing

[rso]

21. Swalwell

The fact that a number of his key staff have quit is a major indicator that there’s something to the allegations.

[RandomNumbers]

32. It certainly suggests that people who know him well

don't find the allegations preposterous.

[Scrivener7]

84. His own comment in his statement that his wrongdoing is between him and his wife answers it for me.

Whatever it is, there's something there. At the very least a massive breach of judgment.

I liked his work, but we can't be doing this now.

[True Dough]

25. Under investigation...

MeidasTouch

NEWS: Manhattan DA’s office is now investigating sexual assault allegations against Rep. Eric Swalwell after multiple women, including a former staffer, accused him of misconduct, per CNN. Swalwell denies the claims, calling them false and politically motivated.

[True Dough]

27. And this is how Dems should be holding their ground:

MeidasTouch

BREAKING: EXPULSION SHOWDOWN IN CONGRESS

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) is moving to force a House vote next week to expel Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) over sexual assault and misconduct allegations, according to new reporting. Swalwell denies the allegations.

In response, Democrats are preparing a counter-move to force a vote to expel Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), who is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over sexual misconduct allegations.

[SheltieLover]

33. Ms. Luna should clean up her own house first & impeach the adjudicated rapist.

Jmo.

[True Dough]

34. They'd need a

BIG broom to clean up that mess of a house!

[SheltieLover]

35. Yup. But they have no right to point fingers imo. Smells like rat fuckery.

[pattyloutwo]

87. How many times have you used that term in the last day? Just letting you know I'm tired of reading it

[SheltieLover]

89. You are more than welcome to put me on ignore.

[MustLoveBeagles]

95. Then stop reading her posts

Or put her on ignore.

[stopdiggin]

106. No. I think the better option is to call out the objectionable and/or obnoxious.

People deserve to know where they stand. And I deserve the right to deliver the message (when lines are crossed).
And the site deserves the effort and effect of a little bleach splashed around every now and then .. ?

[MustLoveBeagles]

111. I didn't find Sheltelover's posts either of those things

But YMMV. Sheltie has just as much right to express her views as anyone else.

[stopdiggin]

115. Now you're getting it! And OTHER people have every right to voice disagreement

and displeasure (as the poster that you responded to had just done) You thought there should be some kind of 'free pass'?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[MustLoveBeagles]

116. I was just offering suggestions

They can either take them or not. I'm not trying to silence anyone.

[LeftInTX]

94. Abbott will simply usher in AK-guy if Tony is kicked out of congress

I would prefer that Katie run in an open seat than against an incumbent AK-Guy YouTuber

[Quiet Em]

31. Ultimately Eric Swalwell himself will decide this

I'm fairly certain that there will be a lot more in his orbit who tell him he should drop out than those who tell him he shouldn't.

If I had to guess what Eric will decide, I would guess that he will end his bid for Governor of California.

[Maeve]

36. Do we believe women or not?

Are our ethics consistent or situational?

[EdmondDantes_]

42. That should be a simple question

[mr715]

38. Yes. There are other Democrats.

He isn't magic. He isn't owed anything.

I'm sorry that some people here like him, but he is accused of rape.

You know, rape.

Our politicians are not our heroes. They are not our friends. They are not people we should love. They are a vehicle for policy outcomes.

I shall find another Democrat to support because I don't like Democrats accused of rape...


No, this isn't Al Franken, who resigned with grace and elevated his moral standing.

No, there is no due process in politics.

[Retrograde]

50. California election law says it's possible for the November election

to be between 2 Republicans. California uses what's called a jungle primary: all the candidates for an office appear on the primary ballot and the top two vote-getters go on to the general election in November. Any registered voter can vote in the primary. There are two Republican candidates who are currently polling ahead of the legion of Democratic candidates, making it highly likely that they will take the top two slots, especially if Swalwell loses support. So why can't the lower-polling Democrats drop out? Voting starts in early May and the deadlines for filing have long passed. Why can't the state legislature change this? Isn't this a stupid way to run the most populous state, I hear you say. Yes, it is. But it was passed as a voter initiative (under Schwarzenegger) which means by law it has to be changed by voter initiative. And that's why it smells to me of Republican dirty tricks: if Swalwell is really as horrible as the rumors say, why the delay in trying to sabotage him? Is it just coincidence that he was starting to look like a serious contender for 2nd place, now that the Riverside Co. sheriff (the other Republican with a chance) is busy shooting himself in the foot?

I do not know who is telling the truth, lying, misremembering, or trying to sabotage whom in this instance. Swalwell has been a vocal critic of Trump for a long time: Kash Patel was recently trying to use FBI resources to find dirt on Swalwell, and there were efforts during Trump's first term to link Swalwell with a supposed Chinese spy which went nowhere. The quickness with which the New York Feds have decided to prosecute seems fishy to me. OTOH, Pelosi believes there's something going on. So I don't know. OTOHOH, the GOP smear machine seems to be good at accusing people of what they themselves do.

[oasis]

39. I liked his chances until a few days ago.

[Vinca]

41. It depends on the evidence. The woman said there were messages and photos. Let's see them.

[Celerity]

46. Jamie Raskin:

[Vinca]

47. Hearsay. I'm not saying Swalwell didn't do it, I'm just thinking Democrats shouldn't go all Al Franken immediately.

[MichMan]

63. I heard they were dick photos

Really doubt that the women would have saved them. No one would be able to tell if it was him or not anyway.

[LeftInTX]

65. Do you wanna see Tony Gonzales's dick pics too?

The media obtains and vets them, so we don't have to look at them ourselves.

[mopinko]

43. imho, the heavy drinking is enough to disqualify him.

ppl taking drugs and drinking heavily shd not hold the public trust. they just shouldnt.
i’d give my rt arm to start drug testing candidates.

[in2herbs]

44. If he's innocent as he says he is he should immediately sue the accusers and demand they produce

their evidence -- before the Nov. election.

[pinkstarburst]

45. I think whatever evidence there is

needs to be released and quickly. Or at least some of it. If he is guilty of any part of this, he needs to drop out, absolutely.

The reason I am cautious about everyone rushing to burn Swalwell at the stake is because even if he is guilty, look at how FAST people are rushing to condemn him and try to force him out of the race and out of office, without a single piece of evidence being offered, without even 24 hours to investigate.

The governor of California is a huge, powerful position.

Now imagine that republicans (who control a huge share of the media) and billionaire oligarchs (who supported Trump the last time around) see how well this worked to take out Swalwell, whether the charges are legit or not, and decide, hmmm, wouldn't it be interesting if we see who the frontrunner is in the 2028 democratic primary, and take them out right before voting starts?

Then we get a nominee no one is enthusiastic about, and they wait until weeks before the general, and do the same thing again.

And because we've trained ourselves to rush in and say pull the plug, whereas republicans will vote for their candidate no matter what, we get screwed. Again.

[MustLoveBeagles]

58. You make a good point

[EdmondDantes_]

75. Because 4 victims is a lot to discredit

Because they told multiple people at the time. Because his text messages and getting drunk with subordinates are also over the line. Because I and others believe victims.

[fujiyamasan]

48. It's likely some of the allegations are true

It’s very likely he did send dick pics, and he probably cheated on his wife. All of which make him a terrible husband, and it’s embarrassing and it’s a waste of time. That alone puts him into Anthony Weiner territory. Not a good look by any means. That in itself is reason to end the campaign. It sucks the oxygen out of the room.

I’m skeptical of the timing. This could have been released when he first announced he was running. I’m not sure why it took until now, but if (and I stress if) the more serious allegations are true, I’m glad it happened now rather than after the primary. But I understand that sometimes victims don’t feel comfortable speaking out right away.

Keep in mind this is the first time in over fifteen years republicans have a shot of taking the seat, due to this completely idiotic and clusterfuck of a jungle primary. They’ve already got lucky enough to have so many democrats running (most without a shot) and splitting the vote, so it’s not completely out of hand to initially entertain the possibility of republican dirty tricks. But as time goes on, this looks worse and more possibly true.

[Norrrm]

53. Politics is a blood sport. It's just not wet.

[doc03]

57. I really liked him but he should drop out. WTF is wrong with these people,

they can't keep their dick in their pants.

[CNYHarris]

59. Did trumpstein drop out

[IcyPeas]

70. The double standard is staggering

IOKIYAR

[Kaleva]

77. Were anyone of us thinking of supporting him?

[Pisces]

79. Now we want to compare ourselves to the worst??? No, we need to uphold our own standards.

[CNYHarris]

86. I think Eric should resign immediately

Though am surprised how well trained Democrats are. In 2016-2019, I was posting about trump and Epstein and got crickets for an audience.

I was labeled a conspiracy theorist then and chased off forums.

A Democrat and accusations and it is a national emergency, especially in one of the cases involving alcohol, not abuse of children. Why no national emergencies involving young women and alcohol and abuse at colleges. Nothing, way more abuse there and no national emergency.

Believe the victim. Have Eric resign immediately, though when it is a Republican commiting violent sex crimes against women, it is a conspiracy theory, unproven. A Democrat gets accused and there is blood in the water and a national emergency.

trump could rape a person on 5th Ave and the corporate media van would drive by it on the way to cover Eric in California.

[stopdiggin]

107. Double standard. Noted. The question remains what do DEMOCRATS want to do

about a prominent candidate with these kinds of clouds swirling .. ?

But, yes ... All fully aware. Double standard. Sucks! Now what .. ?

[Kid Berwyn]

60. Sad.

There has not even been a preliminary hearing and a great many are ready to hang a great U.S. Representative out to dry.

[Passages]

62. Whether you're Swalwell or anyone else in politics, it comes down to how honest you are with yourself.

If he knows he is innocent, being asked to step down is supremely painful right now.


If he is guilty, he should go home and prepare his family for the worst.

[WizumbODaSage]

110. It's Strange Though..LOT of People On Earth..A Few Work for You

[LeftInTX]

64. Considering that it's a jungle primary, yes. There are other options.

[CNYHarris]

72. Yes, Eric should drop out

The allegations are strong enough.

[TBF]

73. It's a primary - I think he should probably step aside.

My gut feeling is that there is probably something to the allegations. Not only because four people are now accusing him, but because I do think if it were an elaborate set up, they'd wait until he was the candidate, rather than take him out early in the primaries.

But, I will also note that the president of the US is a convicted rapist. And this is where it gets really annoying because Swalwell has been accused and already everyone is pushing him out (assuming he's guilty); while republicans literally elected a rapist to the presidency without batting an eye.

[Doodley]

74. Yes, he should drop out. We don't need this damaging distraction from Democratic messaging. We don't need Republicans

to be talking about this instead of defending themselves.

[aeromanKC]

76. So to should Porter.

[Pisces]

82. Did Porter sexually abuse or have relations with staff members???

[aeromanKC]

98. Allegations on her part as well in this ugliness.

For the good of the Democratic party she should step out of the campaign too.

[TBF]

117. Any other democrats you'd like to see drop out? nt

[Pisces]

78. He needs to refocus with his family. He made poor choices and will continue to make poor choices if he

doesn’t stop to reevaluate and figure out why he risked so much. He is young and can run again or do something else. It doesn’t have to be him. He put himself in the position for this to happen whether it was consensual or not.

[patphil]

81. I'll let the people of California decide that.

[La Coliniere]

93. The damage has already been done and he needs to drop out.

Honestly, I admired his tenacity in taking on Republicans with an aggressive posture that we certainly need more of in the Democratic Party. However, there was always something about the guy that didn’t sit well with me and I could never put my finger on it. He’s one of the very few Democrats that I’ve ever given a nickname to; my wife and I have referred to him as “Possum Puss” for years because my wife thinks he looks like a possum. I don’t know 100% if the accusations are true, but my gut tells me they are, based on what is already known. If true, it’s shameful how he often trotted out his kids for photo ops. Disappointing for sure.

[RandySF]

101. It's over.

The campaign withdrew its Actblue portal.

[LuvLoogie]

102. California could sure use some Jerry Brown.

He'd probably do really well as a write in.

[WizumbODaSage]

105. Yes. If the allegations of Sex Assault Are True He Must Drop Out & Resign

Weiner, Franken, Cuomo, Spitzer, Clinton. I don't know why. All I know is .. Republicans get away with it because they stolidly villainize anyone who opposed them like made members of a mafia. Democrats stand as crusaders against unfairness & abusers of power. So... 30 years after the law firmly defines sex harassment, unequal treatment, and powerful officials approaching subordinates for romantic entanglements as illegal acts which can result in damages being paid to victims, and your party defines itself by its support for the law in these instances, you must take these charges seriously. You can't just stand by and watch while your candidate rides this out. Not for the Governor of California!!!! His colleagues would be Ron DeSantis & Greg Abbott and he would be target practice for both! I thought Swallwell was a rising star doing admirable work and one of those standing firm against Trump. But with the Chinese Spy story & recent static with Kash Patel he is a target and now a very vulnerable one.

DEMS got wiped out last year....the standing of the party is weak. Our candidates are only human but their integrity MUST be above board no matter how much pressure is coming against them. If they give into temptation and show weak character they can't hold the offices to which we would elect them & fight the fight as forcefully as we need them to.