What Happened?
Two key lawmakers have resigned from Congress in response to recent sexual misconduct allegations. On Monday, April 13, California Rep. Eric Swalwell (D) and Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales (R) both announced their intention to resign from the House of Representatives due to backlash over accusations of unrelated inappropriate sexual behavior with staff members. This announcement not only shakes up the makeup of the House but also significantly impacts the tightly-packed 2026 California gubernatorial race.
What kind of allegations were made?
Gonzales, unlike Swallwell, had been facing calls to step down for much longer. Texts made with Regina Santos-Aviles, one of Gonzales’ staff members, were released earlier in the year, revealing an inappropriate relationship between the two. Santos-Aviles later killed herself in 2025 by setting herself on fire. In March 2026, Gonzales admitted to having an affair with Regina Santos-Aviles.
On the other hand, allegations against Swalwell were unearthed much more recently. An April 10 SF Chronicle article unveiled a claim of sexual assault by Swallwell in 2019 and 2024 against a former staffer. Soon after, separate investigations revealed more accounts of sexual misconduct with several other women, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office announced they were opening an investigation into Swallwell’s sexual assault allegations.
Swallwell has repeatedly declared that the accusations are false, despite dropping out of the California Governor race and choosing to resign from Congress.
How does this affect the California Gubernatorial race?
The main reason why Eric Swallwell has received the majority of attention and coverage between the two congressmen is that he was one of the key candidates in the California gubernatorial race, or the election for the Governor of California.
The election for the Governor of California is set to take place in November 2026; however, it is still closely packed, and there hasn’t been a standout frontrunner among the candidates. Before dropping out, Swalwell had received key endorsements, such as from California Sen. Adam Schiff (D) and Actor Sean Penn. He also received the highest percent of the vote at the California Democratic Party convention in Febuary with 24%. Though far below the required 60% needed for endorsement, it shows that he was one of the clear leaders.
What Comes Next?
For the time being, both Democrats and Republicans will lose one active member in the House of Representatives. After a resignation, the Governor in each state has the right to hold a special election to replace the congressman in their district. Shortly after Swalwell’s and Gonzales’ announcements, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office set the dates for a special election this summer, and Texas Governor Gregg Abbot’s office said they would announce it at a later date. Gonzales’ election could prove to be significant, however, as recent elections have shown a wave of Democratic wins in the state, meaning a big seat change is possible.
Additionally, after Swalwell’s announcement to drop out, Billionaire Tom Steyer and former Rep Katie Porter are expected to be the current top two candidates in the California gubernatorial race.
