And then there were nine.
Days after four women including a former staffer, accused Eric Swalwell of rape and other misconduct, the cable news friendly Congressman has faced up to political reality and ended his bid to be California‘s next governor.
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” the Democrat announced Sunday online as mentors like Nancy Pelosi, powerful unions and top officials all pulled their endorsements and even current top staffers made their anger at Swalwell known.
“To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” the Bay Area Congressman, who was topping some polls in a packed campaign of what was eight Democrats and two Republicans to replace the term-limited Gavin Newson. “I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
Like his video statement of April 10 in response to disturbing reports by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN, Rep. Swalwell was noticeably vague and precise in his words in today’s missive. Taking a very Clintonesque approach previously of saying there were matters private to himself and his wife, Sunday Swalwell spoke of “mistakes in judgement,” but gave no specifics.
That fact that the Congressman is both facing a probe by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office now for the alleged 2024 sexual assault of the ex-staffer as well as calls for him to resign from the House of Representatives may in part be why he is being so circumspect.