California Democrat Eric Swalwell is facing serious sexual assault allegations from several women, his former congressional staffers, which has cost him his lead just weeks before the all-party primary on June 2.
With the 45-year-old's numbers down, it is Republican Tom Steyer who is leading polls. Latest Eric Swalwell poll numbers show Steyer's odds of becoming the next Governor of California jumped sharply, with Steyer's price jumping to 56%, an increase of 30 points in a week.
Among Steyer's Democratic opponents, Katie Porter is now at 12%, while Swalwell has dropped to 7%. Despite the scandal and Steyer's soaring odds, traders still favor the Democrats to retain control of the California Governor's office.
Multiple women have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct, claims he has categorically denied. A former staffer alleged she was sexually assaulted by Swalwell in 2024, years after leaving his office, while another woman claimed she woke up naked in a hotel room after a night of heavy drinking, with no memory of events but physical signs of sexual contact.
Swalwell has strongly denied all allegations, stating they are false and come on the eve of an election against the front-runner for governor. His legal team has also pushed back aggressively, sending cease-and-desist letters to two of the women, calling their claims 'false' and warning of potential legal consequences if they continued speaking publicly.
