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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I tried repeatedly to get the stories out. I can\u2019t force women to speak out, and when they chose not to, I didn\u2019t push. I also knew that Swalwell was known to threaten litigation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tavares also emphasized his longstanding coverage of Swalwell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I\u2019ve covered Eric Swalwell since he was a member of the Dublin City Council,” Tavares wrote. “Don\u2019t get it twisted. Nobody has been more critical of Swalwell over the years.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He wrote that Swalwell\u2019s political standing in his home base remains limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“For a candidate who could plausibly contend for governor of the nation\u2019s most powerful state, Eric Swalwell\u2019s base of support at home is strikingly thin,” Tavares wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tavares pointed to both ideological and personal factors in explaining that dynamic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“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.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Over time, his positions\u2014support for law enforcement, past rhetoric on border security, and unwavering backing of Israel\u2014have placed him out of step with the prevailing politics of the deep-blue East Bay,” he wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tavares also pointed to Swalwell’s early political campaigns as a source of lingering tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Early in his congressional career, Swalwell unseated two well-regarded local figures\u2014Pete Stark and later Ellen Corbett\u2014moves that, while politically successful, left lingering resentment among longtime Democratic activists,” he wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also highlighted recent political endorsements as indicative of broader challenges to the California governor’s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Recent endorsements underscore the challenge,” Tavares wrote, pointing to Assemblymember Mia Bonta Rep. Ro Khanna backing Tom Steyer for governor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Taken together, Swalwell\u2019s path to higher office may depend less on consolidating his home base and more on building a coalition elsewhere\u2014an unusual, and potentially risky, strategy for a California gubernatorial hopeful,” he wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n