Just about two hours after the latest allegations against California Democrat Eric Swalwell became public, the former gubernatorial candidate is now a former member of the House of Representatives.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13) made the announcement on X:
I have just been notified that Eric Swalwell has officially submitted his resignation to the House Clerk.
Effective immediately.
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) April 14, 2026
Earlier Tuesday, Luna reported that Swalwell had “begun the internal process of switching his staff over to the Clerk of the House.”
So, what happens next?
Now that Swalwell’s seat is officially vacant, California Gov. Gavin Newsom can call a special election to fill it. According to the California Government Code, “A special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress, State Senator, or Member of the Assembly shall be conducted on a Tuesday at least 126 days, but not more than 140 days, following the issuance of an election proclamation by the Governor pursuant to Section 1773 of the Government Code.” Assuming that Newsom issues that proclamation today, that election could take place on August 18, 2026. If one candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote in that election, they will win the seat outright and can be seated immediately.
Before that, on June 2, the primary election for that seat for the next term of Congress will occur.
Tuesday’s Politico’s California Playbook covered the latest about Dems jockeying to fill the power vacuum:
California Democrats are maneuvering quickly in the aftermath of Swalwell’s precipitous fall.
Even before he announced his resignation from Congress on Monday, the race to succeed him was underway …. Contenders to fill his solidly blue Bay Area seat include state Sen. Aisha Wahab and Bay Area Rapid Transit board president Melissa Hernandez.
Meanwhile, Swalwell’s collapse is forcing California’s political establishment to reassess who to support for governor. Powerful labor unions, interest groups and consultants had lined up behind Swalwell’s campaign in recent weeks as his campaign appeared to gain momentum.
Within hours of his resignation, there were at least five new polls funded by outside super PACs underway to assess the remaining field, strategists told Playbook. As one prominent Sacramento power player, granted anonymity to speak freely, quipped, those powerful interests are now “picking through the trash bin to see what’s salvageable.”
Meanwhile, Swalwell’s DC roommate, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), has joined the crowd of Democrats throwing him under the bus, telling reporters, “My family and his family were as close as it gets… He lied to me… This man lived a double life.”
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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