As the race to replace former Bay Area Representative Eric Swalwell gets underway, federal officials are demanding that he return more than $30,000 in campaign donations or face a potential audit. In a letter dated June 15, the Federal Election Commission informed Swalwell’s campaign that the funds must be refunded because he is no longer seeking elected office. Swalwell withdrew from the governor’s race and resigned from Congress following multiple allegations of sexual assault.
At the same time, voters across Swalwell’s former congressional district, which includes Fremont, Hayward, and Livermore, are participating in a special election to select his successor. The outcome of Tuesday’s election will determine who serves the remainder of his term through January. However, the seat will be on the ballot again in November, when voters will decide who will represent the district for the next full congressional term. The special election marks the beginning of a closely watched transition in Bay Area politics.
