Eric Swalwell

Eric Michael Swalwell (born November 16, 1980) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for California's 14th congressional district since 2023.

Swalwell was born on November 16, 1980, in Sac City, Iowa.

He is the oldest of four sons of Eric Nelson Swalwell and Vicky Joe Swalwell, both of whom are Republicans.

During his early childhood, his father served as police chief in Algona, Iowa.

After leaving Iowa, the family eventually settled in Dublin, California.

He graduated from Wells Middle School and then from Dublin High School in 1999.

As a child, Swalwell suffered from Bell's palsy and worried the paralysis would never go away.

To treat the condition, he had to wear an eyepatch.

Swalwell attended Campbell University in North Carolina and played soccer on a scholarship for the Campbell Fighting Camels from 1999 to 2001.

He broke both his thumbs during his second year in 2001, ending the scholarship.

In 2001 and 2002, Swalwell worked as an unpaid intern for U.S. representative Ellen Tauscher, who represented CA's 10th congressional district.

He focused on legislative research and constituent outreach and services.

The September 11 terrorist attacks occurred during his internship, inspiring him to public service.

The attacks also inspired his first legislative achievement: using his Student Government Association position at the University of Maryland to create a public–private college scholarship program for students who lost parents in the attacks.

After graduating from law school, Swalwell returned to California and worked as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County.

Swalwell then transferred to the University of Maryland, College Park, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in government and politics in 2003.

He then received a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in 2006.

At the University of Maryland, College Park, Swalwell served as Vice President of Campus Affairs for the Student Government Association and was an elected member of the Student-Faculty-Staff University Senate and of its executive committee.

He was an active member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity.

He often organized protests at the Maryland State House and served as a student liaison to the College Park City Council; the latter appointment inspired other college towns to consider similar arrangements.

He served on the Dublin Heritage & Cultural Arts Commission from 2006 to 2008 and on the Dublin Planning Commission from 2008 to 2010 before winning election to the Dublin City Council in 2010.

While he was running for the U.S. Congress, an anonymous group attempted to recall Swalwell from the city council, but the effort was later abandoned.

In September 2011, Swalwell filed to run for Congress in California's 15th district.

He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012, defeating 40-year incumbent Pete Stark in an upset.

During the 2012 election cycle, the Stark campaign accused Swalwell of being a Tea Party candidate.

His district, numbered as the 15th district from 2013 to 2023, covers most of eastern Alameda County and part of central Contra Costa County.

He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Born in Sac City, Iowa, Swalwell spent his childhood in Dublin, California.

He was a first-generation college student, having briefly attended Campbell University on a soccer scholarship before earning degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

As a college student, Swalwell served as a student liaison to the College Park City Council and interned for Ellen Tauscher.

After college, Swalwell returned to California and worked as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County.

He was appointed to multiple municipal commissions in Dublin and later served two years on the Dublin City Council.

The district had previously been the 13th, represented by 20-term incumbent Democrat Pete Stark.

Swalwell took a leave of absence from the Dublin City Council to run for the seat.

Swalwell was able to contest Stark in the general election because of California's "top two" primary system put in place by Proposition 14.

Under that system, the top two primary vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.

In the June primary, Stark finished first with 41.8% of the vote, Swalwell placed second with 36%, and independent candidate Chris Pareja third with 22.2%.

In the November general election, the San Francisco Chronicle endorsed Swalwell.

Swalwell has co-chaired the House Democratic Steering Committee since 2017.

He was a candidate in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries from April to July 2019 before dropping out and endorsing Joe Biden.