Updated April 12, 2026 — The scandal enveloping Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell has rapidly widened into a bipartisan confrontation that could change the House’s composition ahead of the midterms.
Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor on Sunday after multiple sexual misconduct allegations surfaced, including a claim from a former staffer that she was sexually assaulted. Swalwell has denied the accusations in a video statement and said he plans to pursue legal action against the accuser. State Democratic leaders and all 21 members of Congress who had endorsed his gubernatorial bid have withdrawn their support, according to party officials.
As lawmakers return to Washington from a two-week recess, the dispute has escalated into calls for formal congressional discipline. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, announced plans to force a floor vote to expel Swalwell; the measure could reach the House as early as midweek. Expulsion requires a two-thirds majority, a threshold rarely met — only six members have been expelled in U.S. history, most recently Rep. George Santos in 2023.
Democrats are preparing a countermeasure: they plan to move to bring an expulsion vote against Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican who acknowledged an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. Gonzales has dropped his reelection campaign but has not resigned.
Two lawmakers who spoke to CBS News on the condition of anonymity said Republicans and Democrats are privately weighing further expulsion efforts that could target additional members. Axios first reported plans for a broader set of moves.
Two other members mentioned as possible targets are GOP Rep. Cory Mills and Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, both of Florida. Mills faces a House Ethics Committee review over alleged campaign finance violations, sexual misconduct and other potential wrongdoing. Cherfilus-McCormick has been accused of misappropriating roughly $5 million in federal pandemic relief funds and using some of the money to boost her congressional campaign. Both have denied wrongdoing.
Support for expulsions has begun to crystallize across party lines. Rep. Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican running for governor, told NBC’s Meet the Press he would vote to expel both Swalwell and Gonzales if those measures reach the floor. Several California Democrats, increasingly vocal, have urged Swalwell to leave Congress and relinquish his gubernatorial bid. Rep. Jared Huffman said he would vote to expel both members, arguing their actions violate House ethics rules.
The unfolding situation reflects heightened pressure on Capitol Hill to act more quickly when members face serious allegations, and it sets the stage for a partisan showdown in the coming days as leaders decide whether to move forward with one or more rare expulsion votes.