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California Representative Eric Swalwell has officially launched his campaign for governor, positioning himself as President Donald Trump’s “most vocal critic” amid a newly announced Department of Justice investigation into alleged mortgage fraud.
Swalwell, who would be seeking to replace term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom in 2026, appears to be embracing the controversy surrounding the DOJ probe, which reportedly may also include investigations into tax and insurance fraud. The Democratic congressman has flatly denied any wrongdoing.
“The only thing I am surprised about is that it took him this long to come after me,” Swalwell stated following news of the investigation, directly linking the probe to his long-standing opposition to Trump.
In a campaign video posted on his website, Swalwell highlighted his role in Trump’s impeachment proceedings: “Nancy Pelosi selected me to lead the impeachment of a corrupt president. Californians will never bow the knee.”
The congressman, who has represented California in the House since 2013, has made his opposition to Trump a centerpiece of his political identity. Before serving in Congress, Swalwell worked as a county deputy district attorney in California from 2006 to 2012. He briefly entered the 2020 presidential race but withdrew after just three months.
In media appearances since the DOJ announcement, Swalwell has doubled down on framing the investigation as political retribution. “This is really about Donald Trump going after his political enemies. No one has been a more vocal critic than me,” he told MSNBC, referencing his ongoing lawsuit against Trump regarding the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
“I’m not going to change a single thing about what I do to stand up against Donald Trump when he gets in the way of me fighting for Californians,” Swalwell added. “I am not going to shrink one bit because of Donald Trump trying to intimidate me.”
On social media, Swalwell has positioned himself among other Democrats facing scrutiny from the DOJ, writing: “Like James Comey and John Bolton, Adam Schiff and Lisa Cook, Letitia James and the dozens more to come — I refuse to live in fear in what was once the freest country in the world.”
Despite his national profile, Swalwell’s recent congressional record shows mixed engagement. He has missed 16% of votes since the beginning of the year, making him the tenth most absent member of the House. His voting pattern rarely breaks with Democratic Party lines, having voted against the majority of Democrats on only eight occasions during the current session.
His fundraising efforts have been modest by competitive standards, reporting $1.4 million in the first three quarters of 2025 — a respectable but not exceptional figure for someone with gubernatorial ambitions in America’s most populous state.
What distinguishes Swalwell is his consistent opposition to Trump. He served as a House impeachment manager against Trump in 2021 and has used his position on the House Oversight Committee to frequently criticize the president’s policies and behavior.
“Next week, when we hear about someone else who is an opponent of Donald Trump being investigated, it will also be nonsense,” Swalwell told CNN. “Of course, I am one of the most vocal critics against Donald Trump. I have the only lawsuit that survived him becoming president — me and the other January 6 officers.”
The investigation into Swalwell remains in its preliminary stages, with the DOJ not yet announcing whether it will pursue a grand jury trial. The congressman’s office did not respond to requests for comment about the allegations or how they might impact his gubernatorial campaign.
The California gubernatorial race is expected to attract significant attention as candidates position themselves to lead the nation’s economic powerhouse and most populous state following Newsom’s departure.
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13 Comments
Swalwell’s role in Trump’s impeachment proceedings is sure to feature prominently in his campaign. It will be interesting to see how he leverages that experience.
The DOJ probe is sure to be a major wildcard in Swalwell’s campaign. Voters will want to see the facts before making up their minds on this issue.
Agreed. Transparency and due process will be crucial in handling this sensitive investigation.
Swalwell seems to be embracing the controversy around the DOJ probe, which could be a risky strategy. Voters will likely want to see the details before deciding how they feel about it.
Agreed. Any allegations of wrongdoing need to be thoroughly investigated before drawing conclusions.
While Swalwell’s criticism of Trump may resonate with some voters, the DOJ investigation could complicate things. Voters will want reassurance that the process is fair and impartial.
Good point. Maintaining public trust in the integrity of the investigation will be key.
Swalwell is clearly trying to make his anti-Trump stance a central part of his gubernatorial campaign. It remains to be seen how that will play out with California voters.
It’s not surprising to see Swalwell make his opposition to Trump a central part of his campaign. That seems to be a key part of his political identity at this point.
The DOJ investigation will definitely be a major storyline to follow in Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign. Voters will want to know the facts before deciding how they feel about it.
Absolutely. Transparency and due process will be crucial in handling this kind of sensitive investigation.
Interesting that Swalwell is positioning himself as such a vocal critic of Trump. Given the DOJ investigation, it will be important to see how this plays out and what the facts end up showing.
Swalwell’s history of criticizing Trump could certainly resonate with some California voters. But the DOJ investigation may cloud the issue and require a more nuanced approach.