Hours after announcing his decision to run for California governor, Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell visited Altadena Friday to visit neighborhoods ravaged by the Eaton Fire and speak with the wildfire survivors and first responders.
The longtime congressman for the 14th district, which includes Alameda County, held the first news conference since he appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to announce his candidacy Thursday night.
After touring the Altadena area and speaking with community members, Swalwell said he’s committed to supporting the Southern California community’s economic recovery.
“My heart beats with Altadena, and I will be a governor that always fights for Altadena,” he said.
Members of the Altadena Town Council said they hoped Friday’s tour has given Swalwell “renewed hope about that’s going on in Altadena.”
“Even though the most visible fire debris is now gone, the physical landscape tells our story: the scale of loss, the pace of recovery and the long road still ahead for so many Altadenans, ” said Victoria Knapp, chair of the Altadena Town Council, said.
No community group or members endorsed Swalwell during the news conference.
Swalwell, who has been a U.S. representative for over a decade after serving as a deputy district attorney and city councilmember in California’s East Bay, will be running against other high-profile candidates, including Rep. Katie Porter, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and activist billionaire Tom Steyer. Former LA mayoral candidate and real estate developer Rick Caruso was also rumored to be considering a gubernatorial run.
Swalwell has been one of the Democrats who have been targeted by President Trump and his allies as the congressman has fervently criticized the administration. Most recently, during a September hearing on the grand jury files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, he publicly clashed with FBI Director Kash Patel.
Swalwell is also being investigated by the Trump administration for possible mortgage fraud.
In 2021, Trump and his allies claimed Swalwell had ties to a suspected Chinese spy and had been compromised by a foreign intelligence agency. Swalwell denied those claims and a House Ethics Committee probe ended in 2023 with no finding of wrongdoing.
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