California reporter claims Eric Swalwell’s conduct ‘was known,’ raises questions about local support

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East Bay political journalist and author Steve Tavares said in a Saturday social media post that allegations surrounding Eric Swalwell’s behavior toward women were widely known among local officials shortly after he entered Congress in 2013.

“Shortly after being elected to Congress in 2013, his behavior towards women was known by all levels of our local government and the Alameda County Democratic Party,” Tavares wrote.

“I tried repeatedly to get the stories out. I can’t force women to speak out, and when they chose not to, I didn’t push. I also knew that Swalwell was known to threaten litigation.”

Swalwell faces calls to resign and drop out of the California governor’s race, amid sexual assault allegations that have been raised against him by former staffers.

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Split image of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Rep. Eric Swalwell.

Tavares also emphasized his longstanding coverage of Swalwell.

“I’ve covered Eric Swalwell since he was a member of the Dublin City Council,” Tavares wrote. “Don’t get it twisted. Nobody has been more critical of Swalwell over the years.”

In a separate April 6 edition of his “East Bay Insiders” newsletter, Tavares outlined what he described as challenges facing Swalwell closer to home, particularly within Alameda County Democratic circles.

He wrote that Swalwell’s political standing in his home base remains limited.

“For a candidate who could plausibly contend for governor of the nation’s most powerful state, Eric Swalwell’s base of support at home is strikingly thin,” Tavares wrote.

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Rep. Eric Swalwell standing next to Hunter Biden

Tavares pointed to both ideological and personal factors in explaining that dynamic.

“The reasons are both ideological and personal,” he wrote. “Despite his high-profile opposition to President Trump, many Democratic insiders in Alameda County do not view Swalwell as a reliable progressive.”

“Over time, his positions—support for law enforcement, past rhetoric on border security, and unwavering backing of Israel—have placed him out of step with the prevailing politics of the deep-blue East Bay,” he wrote.

Tavares also pointed to Swalwell’s early political campaigns as a source of lingering tensions.

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Rep. Eric Swalwell standing near Chinese flags atop a building

“Early in his congressional career, Swalwell unseated two well-regarded local figures—Pete Stark and later Ellen Corbett—moves that, while politically successful, left lingering resentment among longtime Democratic activists,” he wrote.

He added that those divisions have not fully dissipated over time. In addition, Tavares claimed there is a perception that Swalwell has been less of a fixture in his district since buying a home in Washington, D.C.

He also highlighted recent political endorsements as indicative of broader challenges to the California governor’s office.

“Recent endorsements underscore the challenge,” Tavares wrote, pointing to Assemblymember Mia Bonta Rep. Ro Khanna backing Tom Steyer for governor.

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“Taken together, Swalwell’s path to higher office may depend less on consolidating his home base and more on building a coalition elsewhere—an unusual, and potentially risky, strategy for a California gubernatorial hopeful,” he wrote.

Fox News Digital reached out to Swalwell’s office and campaign, the Democratic National Committee and the California Democratic Party, but did not immediately hear back.

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