Swalwell’s former Dem rival unloads on his ‘lightweight’ career as sexual assault allegations emerge

Andrew Yang, who ran against Eric Swalwell during the crowded 2020 Democratic primary for president, questioned why his one-time rival had ever thought he could win an election for some of the highest offices in the land, shortly before he announced on Monday that he was resigning his House seat.

Yang slammed Swalwell's political career as "lightweight," arguing he is not "an intellect or deep policy thinker," and described the California congressman as someone whose actions reflect a stronger desire to get ahead than fighting for what he believes is right.

"Eric made the first debate in 2019, which he spent challenging Joe Biden to ‘pass the torch’ and quoting Joe in his first Senate campaign saying that the incumbent was too old and out of touch and it was time to give way to the next generation. Joe came up to him during a commercial break, took Eric by both lapels, and said to him 'nice try, I’m not going anywhere.' Eric then dropped out a few days later," Yang recounted in his post.

"After 2020, Eric became a fixture on cable news programs, particularly MSNBC and CNN, mouthing Democratic talking points. He burnished his social media following. In 2024, when Joe Biden’s age became one of the central issues of the day and Dean Phillips tried to force a primary, Eric was nowhere to be found. He had gotten the message that being a good partisan soldier was a better path."

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Yang said that running for higher office, and particularly the presidency, candidates must have "vision, intellect, confidence, conviction, communication ability, charisma, [and] maybe even morality or principle." However, Swalwell has none of these, according to Yang, who ran for Mayor of New York City Mayor in 2021 and is currently leading a new political party he founded called the Forward Party.

Yang also launched a nonprofit called Humanity Forward after his failed 2020 presidential bid, and began hitting the media circuit on various stations as a contributor and analyst.

Yang, while familiar with Swalwell but not super close to him, described Swalwell as "in way over his head" when running for president, and also pointed out that Swalwell's sexual improprieties were an "open secret" within DC and California circles.

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"I sometimes think of some of the other figures from my presidential primary ‘class,’ many of whom I’m loosely in touch with. I feel like Eric is Icarus from the Greek myths; he flew too close to the sun, and now he’s crashed to Earth," Yang added about Swalwell's ambition for higher office.

Yang said he thought the best-case outcome for Swalwell would be that he retains his seat in the House of Representatives, which both Democrats and Republicans have said they want him expelled from, but then loses it a few years down the line when someone is in a strong position to challenge him. Swalwell announced his resignation shortly after the post started spreading on social media.

Both Democrats and Republicans supported Swalwell resigning following the fresh allegations of sexual misconduct. Even Swalwell's "best friend in the world," as he described him at an event, Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., was forced to walk away from supporting his long-time friend and colleague just a day after he was raked over the coals for supporting him and, as one Democrat strategist put it, running a "smear" campaign to discredit Swalwell's accusers.

"The allegations against Congressmember Swalwell are deeply disturbing," California Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks said in a statement.

When asked whether she had requested Swalwell resign, Pelosi reportedly responded, "Oh, I think that was his decision. I think it's a smart decision to make," according to Politico.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who ran against Swalwell and Yang during the crowded 2020 Democratic primary for president, said she is "glad that [Swalwell] will be gone," adding that "people who are in positions of power and authority over others need to be held accountable when they take advantage of that position."