Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who has been a leading critic of the Trump administration, says he is running for governor of California in the 2026 election.
He made the announcement on his official campaign website, which went live Thursday night ahead of a scheduled appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Swalwell got a standing ovation from the audience when he then announced his run on Kimmel’s show.
“Our state, this great state, needs a fighter and a protector,” Swalwell told Kimmel.
“I’ve been in these fights as a city council member up in Dublin, my hometown, as a prosecutor in Oakland and taking on the most corrupt president ever in the U.S. Congress, but I’m ready to bring this fight home,” Swalwell said.
He also said he doesn’t trust that the files concerning convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will be released in their entirety.
President Trump said Wednesday he has signed a bill that requires the Justice Department to release files within 30 days.
Swalwell, 45, joins an already crowded field of high-profile candidates. Gov. Gavin Newsom cannot run for reelection because he is term-limited by California law.
The field includes several other Democratic hopefuls, including former Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, former Rep. Katie Porter, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and entrepreneur Tom Steyer, among others. Republican candidates include political pundit Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
Swalwell represents the state’s 14th Congressional District, which encompasses a large swath of the East Bay. He has held office in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2013, and before that, he was a prosecutor for Alameda County. His political career includes a run for president in the 2020 election, during which he made gun control one of his main focuses and called for a complete ban on assault rifles.
Last week, the Trump administration referred Swalwell to the Justice Department over alleged tax and mortgage fraud. Swalwell addressed these allegations with Kimmel, calling them “nonsense.”
In a statement following the referral, Swalwell said, “The only thing I am surprised about is that it took him this long to come after me.”
Swalwell and the Trump administration have a history stretching back to Mr. Trump’s first term. Swalwell described himself earlier this month as “the most vocal critic of Donald Trump over the last decade.” He also served as one of the impeachment managers during Mr. Trump’s second impeachment trial.
In addition, there is an ongoing lawsuit filed by Swalwell against Mr. Trump that alleges his actions led to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.
