Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, announced he is running for governor of California in the 2026 election.
Swalwell unveiled his campaign Thursday night on his official campaign website, and confirmed it during a live appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he received a standing ovation. “Our state needs a fighter and a protector,” Swalwell told Kimmel. “I’ve taken on corruption in Congress, served as a prosecutor in Oakland, and now I’m ready to bring this fight home.”
Swalwell, 45, represents California’s 14th Congressional District in the East Bay and has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2013. His political experience includes a run for president in 2020, where he focused on gun control and called for a ban on assault rifles.
He enters a crowded field of Democratic candidates, including former Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, former Rep. Katie Porter, ex-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and entrepreneur Tom Steyer. On the Republican side, contenders include political pundit Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Gov. Gavin Newsom is ineligible for reelection due to California’s term limits.
Swalwell also addressed a recent referral by the Trump administration to the Justice Department over alleged tax and mortgage fraud, calling the allegations “nonsense.” He has a long history of conflict with Trump, having served as an impeachment manager during Trump’s second trial and currently pursuing a lawsuit alleging Trump’s actions contributed to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
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