Rep. Eric Swalwell announces run for California governor
Rep. Eric Swalwell enters California governor's race
The field of candidates running for California governor is now a little more crowded. Est Bay Congressman, Eric Swalwell made it official that he plans to run for the state's highest office on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is the latest candidate to announce his run for governor of California.
Swalwell, 45, said on Thursday ahead of an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" that he would throw his hat in the ring for the 2026 governor’s race.
He joins a crowded pool of high-profile candidates that includes Tom Steyer, conservative TV commentator Steve Hilton, former congresswoman Katie Porter, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former State Attorney General Xavier Becerra, former state schools superintendent, Tony Thurmond, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Current Gov. Gavin Newsom is being termed out.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 25: U.S. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) speaks at a press conference on committee assignments for the 118th U.S. Congress, at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Swalwell – who represents California’s 14th Congressional District, which encompasses a large portion of the East Bay – has been a vocal and leading critic of President Donald Trump since the latter's first administration.
Swalwell says his priorities include challenging and fighting the policies of President Trump and fixing the affordability and cost of living crisis here in California.
"We can say we are the fourth economy in the world, and we are, and I love to brag about that, but what does that mean if you can't afford to live here? So, I've been in these fights as a city councilmember in Dublin, my hometown, as a prosecutor in Oakland and taking on the most corrupt president ever in the U.S. Congress. I'm ready to bring this fight home," Swalwell said.
Swalwell has referred to himself as "the most vocal critic of Donald Trump over the last decade and as the only person who still has a surviving lawsuit against him," referring to a suit stemming from the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 where the congressman holds Trump and his allies "wholly responsible" for injury and destruction that occurred that day.
He has also been the subject of a U.S. Justice Department probe for alleged mortgage fraud.
Swalwell issued a statement in the wake of the probe about the targeting of political opponents, in reference to the Trump administration. However, the statement did not explicitly address the reports of a DOJ probe against him, nor did it include denial of mortgage fraud.