‘Low, Even For You’: California Gov Race Gets Nasty As Swalwell Accuses Opponent of Endangering His Family

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., speaks to reporters after a campaign event on Proposition 50 in San Francisco, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) accused billionaire Tom Steyer, his Democratic Party opponent in California’s gubernatorial race, of endangering his family by making his personal address public.

The testy exchange kicked off late last week when Ryan Hughes, general counsel for Steyer, wrote a letter to the California secretary of state alleging Swalwell “appears to live in California on paper only.”

Hughes’s letter included Swalwell’s address and urged reporters to go see for themselves if he actually lived there.

Swalwell hit back on Wednesday night on social media, writing, “I receive hundreds of death threats every year. My children are not allowed in the yard. That’s why my address is private. And now Tom Steyer has not only put my life at risk but also my family’s by releasing my address.” He added:

And the California Post and Daily Mail took his bait and are harassing my neighbors.

Tom, you can try to buy this election all you want, but this is low, even for you.

Hughes’s letter argued that Swalwell would be “unlikely to meet the basic residency requirements to run for Governor.”

“If elected, questions of legitimacy would hang over Swalwell, allowing the Trump Administration to sow doubt, exploit the ambiguity, and advance its perverse agendas,” the letter continued, adding:

The Trump Administration could question Swalwell’s legitimacy as Governor, and, therefore, imperil California’ receipt of federal funds, the state’s ability to deploy the California National Guard, and act in emergencies.

Swalwell campaign spokesperson Micah Beasley hit back in a statement, saying, “Last Friday, Steyer’s campaign released Rep. Eric Swalwell’s personal address in Livermore. This self-indulgent political act was negligent and thoughtless.”

“As the Congressman is taking on Donald Trump, Swalwell has had to implement extreme security measures to protect himself and his family. He received over 100 death threats last year alone, many of which were directed towards his family. When it comes to serious safety precautions, Steyer should do better,” Beasley concluded.

California Post reporter Josh Koehn posted to X on Thursday, “NEW: 5 people who live on the cul-de-sac where Eric Swalwell claims he’s lived since 2017 told @CaliforniaPost that they have never met the congressman. ‘I’ve never seen that man around.’ He often stays at hotels in/near his district, according to campaign records.”

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