California Gov. Gavin Newsom has scheduled a special election to fill the now vacant seat left by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) after he resigned from Congress.
According to federal election rules, a governor must set a special election to fill a vacant seat in the House of Representatives, unlike a vacant Senate seat, in which the governor must appoint a temporary replacement until a special election is held.
The 45-year-old congressman has represented the 14th congressional district since January 2023 and his term would have lasted until January 2027. The winner of the special election will serve out the remainder of his term.
The district he represented covers parts of San Francisco's East Bay, including Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
The announcement of a special election came shortly after Swalwell resigned following sexual misconduct allegations from multiple women. Swalwell, in his resignation letter, apologized for his past behavior but also maintained his innocence against the most recent accusations.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I have made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me,” the clerk said, reading Swalwell's resignation letter on the House floor. “However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make."
Swalwell served as a House manager in Trump’s second impeachment trial in early 2021. He also played a role in investigating ties between Trump associates and Russian officials as a member of the House Intelligence Committee.
The former California congressman was also among a group of leading Democrats in the race to replace Newsom, but suspended his gubernatorial campaign in the wake of the accusations. Shortly after he dropped out of the governor's race, the congressman resigned from Congress as he faced mounting pressure to step down or face expulsion from House colleagues.
Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) also resigned from Congress after sexual misconduct accusations, creating a vacancy for the seat in the 23rd congressional district. Texas must also hold a special election to replace him, but the governor has yet to set a date.
The two resignations came quickly and within hours of each other as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle called for accountability on Capitol Hill.
“Today was an important turning point. That it should — that abuse of power — should never be accepted, and above all, in public office. And so, I think this is an important resetting point for the institution," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) could face expulsion from Congress as soon as next week over allegations that she stole $5 million in FEMA funds for her own personal use.