We have an April surprise in the race for governor of California, and one that could have some impact on what is already a crowded and messy fight between Democratic candidates ahead of the June 2 primary.

A woman has come forward alleging that Congressman Eric Swalwell, who has been leading the Democratic pack in polls in recent months in the governor's race, sexually assaulted her when she was a staffer in his Castro Valley office in 2019, when she was 21 years old.

As the SF Chronicle reports, the woman reportedly has text-message evidence of herself talking about this assault and a later one with a friend, and the most recent assault she claims occurred in 2024. In both cases, she said she had become blackout drunk, and Swalwell had had intercourse with her.

As the news of the accusations was being published, multiple Swalwell campaign staffers reportedly resigned Friday, according to Politico.

The woman says that she had one or more consensual encounters with Swalwell, including one in which she gave him oral sex in a car after driving him home from an event. And she claims he sent her messages and nude photos over Snapchat. Then, in September 2019, she says that the congressman invited her out for drinks, and she proceeded to become blackout drunk, later waking up in bed with Swalwell in a hotel room.

After the 2024 encounter, which occurred after an event honoring Swalwell, the woman reportedly texted her friend saying, per the Chronicle, "This happened one other time when I was working with him, but I convinced myself I was an equal party in it even though same pattern: I blacked out and he had sex with me."

Swalwell, who has been married to his wife for 10 years and has three children with her, was quick to deny the accusations.

"These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor," Swalwell said in a statement. “For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies."

Swalwell's attorney, Elias Dabaie, has reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter to the accuser, saying that she has "made false statements accusing Mr. Swalwell of sexual assault and nonconsensual sexual encounter."

Dabaie writes further that the woman had shown "the conduct of a loyal and supportive colleague, not a victim" during her years known Swalwell, and he writes, "the credibility of your accusations is fatally undermined by your voluntary and cooperative relationship with Mr. Swalwell over the course of many years following the period in question."

The bombshell accusation follows a day in which Swalwell abruptly canceled a campaign event in Palm Desert, claiming illness. Rumors of possible sexual misconduct allegations linked to Swalwell had been bubbling up on social media in recent days, to which the campaign had responded calling them false and "outrageous."

Swalwell was also, in recent weeks, trying to swat back an effort by Trump's FBI to rexamine a Chinese spy story involving a young woman who also worked in his campaign office in the last decade.

Swalwell has been close to tied with two other Democrats in the governor's race, Tom Steyer and Katie Porter, in a number of polls at around 10%, though a poll released this week showed Swalwell leading the Democrats at 18% — with Republicans Steven Hilton and Chad Bianco at 22% and 13% respectively.

Swalwell has therefore looked like Democrats' best hope for keeping this primary from resulting in two Republicans heading to the November ballot, something which remains a distinct possibility unless some Democrats exit the race in the next week or two.

The potentially damaging accusations today could be a boon for Steyer or Porter, or both, however it could also mean that the three continue to split the Democratic vote in a disastrous way.

Porter, earlier today, posted a video endorsement on X from her mentor Senator Elizabeth Warren, who says, "California needs leaders who can walk into a room with Donald Trump and his administration and be able to run circles around them, and that is why Katie Porter is the best choice for Governor of California."

Related: Eric Swalwell Pushes Back on Trump and Patel Over Rehash of Chinese Spy Scandal

Top image: Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) speaks at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Building on September 08, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)