By Peter.
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-14) officially entered the increasingly packed 2026 race for California governor on Thursday, November 20, 2025, positioning himself as the ultimate bulwark against President Donald Trump while vowing to tackle the state’s soaring cost of living.
The Bay Area congressman, a former prosecutor and 2020 presidential hopeful, announced his candidacy via a new campaign website just before appearing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”—a nod to host Jimmy Kimmel’s own Trump critiques. Swalwell, 45, frames his run around dual mandates: shielding California from federal overreach and rebuilding affordability at home.
“I’m running for Governor because prices are too high and people are scared,” Swalwell stated on his site. “California’s next governor has two jobs. One, keep the worst president in history out of our homes, out of our streets, and out of our lives.”
On Kimmel’s show, he doubled down: “It makes me angry to see Californians running through the fields where they work from ICE agents or troops in our streets.” His platform prioritizes “affordable homes and jobs” to usher in a “new California,” leveraging his East Bay roots—from Dublin City Council to Congress since 2013.
Swalwell touts his anti-Trump bona fides, having served as an impeachment manager in 2021 and branding himself “the most vocal” critic over the past decade. He recently shrugged off a Trump administration referral to the Justice Department over alleged mortgage and tax fraud—claims he vehemently denies—as political payback. The White House did not respond to Axios’ comment request by early Friday.
A Crowded Democratic Primary: Over 20 Contenders
With Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) term-limited after two terms, the June 2, 2026, nonpartisan top-two primary is a free-for-all. Swalwell joins a field now exceeding 20 candidates, mostly Democrats, including heavy hitters like former U.S. Attorney General Xavier Becerra, ex-L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Rep. Katie Porter, State Controller Betty Yee, and Superintendent Tony Thurmond.
Notably, billionaire climate activist and Democratic megadonor Tom Steyer jumped in on November 19, 2025, just a day before Swalwell. The 68-year-old hedge fund founder (net worth ~$2 billion), who self-funded a 2020 presidential bid, is pitching affordability by forcing “corporations to pay their fair share” while preserving California’s business edge. Steyer, a vocal Trump foe who bankrolled impeachment ads and $13 million for Proposition 50 (a recent redistricting win), enters with deep pockets but no elected experience.
Early UC Berkeley polling shows a fragmented field: 44% undecided, with Porter leading at ~15%, followed by Becerra and Villaraigosa in single digits; Steyer and Swalwell hover around 3%. Republicans, winless statewide since 2006, trail far behind.
Swalwell’s Trump-focused strategy could energize the base in a blue state wary of federal clashes, but experts say he’ll need to flesh out state-specific creds to stand out. As one ally put it: “He’s a fighter and he doesn’t lose.”
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