House Judiciary Committee member Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) (R) accuses his fellow committee members of being members of a cult as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies during a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on June 04, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
OAN Staff Addie Davis 6:29 PM – Thursday, March 12, 2026
Democrat gubernatorial candidate for California, Eric Swalwell, was accused by his opponent of not being a resident of the state, arguing that he is ineligible to become governor.
On Friday, Ryan Hughes, the general counsel for Tom Steyer, who is running as a Democrat contender for California’s governorship, sent a letter to the California Secretary of State, Dr. Shirley Webber. In the letter, first reported by POLITICO, Hugh alleges that Representative Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) resides in the state on “paper only.”
According to Hughes, Swalwell listed a business address on his Candidate Intention Statement rather than a residence. He also claimed that in 2022, Swalwell and his spouse executed a deed that designates a Washington, D.C., address as his principal residence.
The attorney notes that on Swalwell’s voter registration form, the candidate lists a Livermore, California, address, though it doesn’t appear he has ownership interest in the property and public records databases don’t indicate Swalwell is even a resident there.
The letter further alleges a consistent pattern dating back to 2018 in which Swalwell opted to stay at a San Francisco hotel during his visits to California rather than at a private residence.
While the California Constitution requires a gubernatorial candidate to be a U.S. citizen and a state resident for the five years leading up to the election, the Secretary of State’s office has historically deemed these duration requirements unconstitutional. Hughes is now formally requesting that the office reconsider this stance and enforce the residency mandate.
A group of California representatives issued a formal statement on Swalwell’s campaign site last Friday, dismissing the residency challenge as a baseless political attack.
“Like all members of the California congressional delegation, we work and live both in this great state and in Washington, DC, representing our constituents in Congress,” the letter said. “Tom Steyer’s insinuation that there is something wrong with that undermines us all. Steyer is pushing a bogus residency conspiracy that originated in MAGA circles at Donald Trump’s bidding,” it continued.
Also on Friday, Swalwell’s attorneys submitted a declaration from his landlord claiming that Swalwell and his wife are leasing and living at the California property, according to the California Post.
Hughes argues that any ambiguity regarding Swalwell’s eligibility could invite challenges to his legitimacy, potentially providing the Trump administration with political or legal leverage should he be elected.
“If elected, questions of legitimacy would hang over Swalwell, allowing the Trump Administration to sow doubt, exploit the ambiguity, and advance its perverse agendas,” he said. “The Trump Administration could question Swalwell’s legitimacy as Governor and, therefore, imperil California’s receipt of federal funds, the state’s ability to deploy the California National Guard, and act in emergencies.”
Swalwell later responded to Steyer’s allegations on social media.
“A big reason billionaires get a bad rap is that whenever they want something, they just buy it—or have their lawyers sue for it. But Tom, elections don’t work that way,” Swalwell posted to X on Friday, responding to the POLITICO article.
A big reason billionaires get a bad rap is that whenever they want something, they just buy it—or have their lawyers sue for it.
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.
And the California Post and Daily Mail took his bait…
“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,” Swalwell said on Wednesday.
“Tom, you can try to buy this election all you want, but this is low, even for you,” he added.
Steyer’s attorney’s letter comes after Joel Gilbert, a conservative filmmaker, filed a lawsuit against Swalwell earlier this year also alleging that the candidate does not meet residency requirements, according to ABC 10.
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