Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) announced on Nov. 21, 2025, he will run for governor of California in 2026 rather than for another term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
As of Nov. 18, 2025, independent race forecasters The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections have rated the 2026 general election for the seat Solid Democratic. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it Safe Democratic.
On his campaign, Swalwell said, "I've been in these fights as a city council member up in Dublin, my hometown, as a prosecutor in Oakland and taking on the most corrupt president ever in the U.S. Congress, but I'm ready to bring this fight home.”
In 2012, Swalwell ran for his first term in the U.S. House in California’s 15th Congressional District. In the general election, he defeated incumbent Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) 52% to 48%. In his four subsequent re-election bids in the district, Swalwell won by 40 percentage points in 2014, 48 percentage points in 2016, 46 percentage points in 2018, and 42 percentage points in 2020.
Starting in 2022, Swalwell ran for re-election in California’s 14th Congressional District due to redistricting. He won by 38 percentage points in 2022 and 36 percentage points in 2024.
As of Nov. 18, 2025, The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections have rated the 2026 general election for the district as Solid Democratic. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it Safe Democratic.
As of Nov. 21, 2025, Swalwell is one of 46 members of the U.S. Congress—eight U.S. Senate members and 38 U.S. House members—who have announced they will not seek re-election to their current seats in 2026.
Of the 38 representatives not seeking re-election
- Thirteen—nine Democrats and four Republicans—are retiring from public office.
- Twelve—six Democrats and six Republicans—are running for the U.S. Senate.
- Twelve—one Democrat and 11 Republicans—are running for governor.
- One Republican is running for state attorney general.
Compared to the last four election cycles, there were 25 retirement announcements at this point in 2024, 24 in 2022, 27 in 2020, and 31 in 2018.
Between January 2011 to November 2025, Ballotpedia followed 335 announcements from U.S. House members who announced they would not seek re-election. January had the highest number of members announcing they would not run for re-election at 57. The fewest announcements took place in June at 15.
