The crowded race to replace California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has been described as a &#8220;mosh pit&#8221; after Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) dropped out following a series of sexual assault allegations. 
Swalwell faced several accusations ranging from <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php">inappropriate behavior</a> to sexually charged messages to at least <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/10/us/eric-swalwell-sexual-misconduct-allegations-invs">one claim of rape.</a> The Bay Area congressman denied those charges, calling the allegations, which surfaced late Friday afternoon, &#8220;absolutely false.&#8221; They were first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN. 
Over the weekend, Democrats nationwide yanked their endorsements and threatened to expel Swalwell from Congress. On Sunday night, Swalwell ended his gubernatorial campaign. 
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell announced in an X post. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I am suspending my campaign for Governor.
To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.
I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.
— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) <a href="https://twitter.com/ericswalwell/status/2043488502327972096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
Swalwell&#8217;s exit from the race scrambles a crowded field of Democratic and Republican candidates hoping to advance to the November general election.  
Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at USC and UC Berkeley, said there is still no clear frontrunner.  
&#8220;The primary was already a mess; now it&#8217;s turned into a mosh pit,&#8221; Schnur said.
&#8220;Swalwell had appeared to be gathering some momentum over the last few weeks, but now it appears that they&#8217;re back to square one,&#8221; Schnur said. &#8220;Even before this controversy, there was no precedent in modern California politics or a gubernatorial primary that is this crowded or without a frontrunner so close to the primary.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dems-face-even-more-pressure-as-republicans-lead-in-critical-governors-race">The Daily Wire previously reported</a> on a California Democratic poll showing the two Republican candidates still leading the race for governor, with Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton each receiving 14% of likely voters.
Swalwell led the Democratic field with 12% support, followed closely by billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer at 11%. Former Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) trailed with 7%, while the remaining four Democratic candidates each registered 4% support or less. Other Democrats in the race include former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former state Controller Betty Yee, state schools Supt. Tony Thurmond, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Porter and Steyer “appear best positioned to benefit” from Swalwell’s exit, Schnur said, but he cautioned that Democratic candidates who focus solely on President Donald Trump are unlikely to break through.
&#8220;The overwhelming majority of California voters hear their sentiment about the president, but that&#8217;s really not much of a differentiator in a crowded field,&#8221; Schnur told The Daily Wire.
Internal polling from the Porter campaign and Steyer campaigns suggests the former congresswoman stands to gain a large share of Swalwell’s support.
On the Republican side, President Trump endorsed Hilton, but the California Republican Party <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/california-republican-party-wont-endorse-candidate-governor/70996292?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot">failed to reach a consensus</a> during its convention over the weekend.
Under California’s “jungle primary” system, all candidates appear on the same ballot, and the top two vote-getters advance to the general election in November regardless of party.
California’s primary election is set for June 2, 2026.

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Dems Threw Swalwell Aside — Now Their Primary Is A ‘Mosh Pit’