Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has scheduled the special election to fill the House seat vacated by Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress following sexual assault allegations.
The special election is set for Aug. 18. Newsom issued a proclamation on Tuesday to start the process for the election.
Swalwell resigned at 2 p.m. Tuesday, days after he was first accused of sexually assaulting a former staffer. At least four other women came forward with similar allegations.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Lonna Drewes accused the congressman of drugging, raping, and choking her in his hotel room back in 2018.
Swalwell has repeatedly denied the serious allegations but felt compelled to leave public office and suspend his campaign for governor of California. He was the front-runner in the race, but the bombshell allegations quickly upended his bid, leaving the Democratic primary wide open again.
Former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter and Biden Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who once served as California attorney general, are among the leading contenders on the Democratic side.
Because the field is so split with about eight Democratic candidates, there is concern that the two Republicans in the gubernatorial race could manage to become the final two. Instead of separate party primaries, the state’s nonpartisan primary system allows all candidates to run against each other at once.
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Former Fox News host Steve Hilton, whom President Donald Trump recently endorsed, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are the two Republicans running to replace the term-limited governor.
Swalwell was one of two lawmakers who resigned from Congress this week. GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose resignation takes effect just before midnight, faced a similar scandal. Gonzales had an extramarital affair with a staffer who ultimately died by suicide last year.