By Theodore Bunker | Wednesday, 15 April 2026 02:20 PM EDT
Independent California Rep. Kevin Kiley stated Wednesday that California’s gubernatorial race has been thrown into “total chaos” following the collapsed campaign of former California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell, arguing the turmoil reflects deep dissatisfaction with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s leadership.
“The race is total chaos right now,” Kiley said in a recent interview, pointing to a fractured Democratic field after several well-established figures declined to run for office.
“You know, we had all of these kind of high-profile Democrats who decided to pass on the race: former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Alex Padilla, and several others,” Kiley said.
“So it left this kind of fragmented field of lesser-known candidates,” he added.
Swalwell’s exit this month amid sexual misconduct allegations has upended an already unsettled contest to replace Gov. Newsom, who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026.
The race now lacks a clear front-runner, with multiple Democrats and Republicans competing in California’s “top-two” primary system, where the two highest vote-getters advance regardless of party.
Kiley argued that the absence of prominent Democratic candidates reflects broader concerns about the state’s direction under Gov. Newsom.
“But, you know, the fact that you don’t have really any high-profile folks who came in and said, ‘We want to be governor of California,’ I think just shows you what a mess Gov. Newsom has left our state in,” Kiley said.
“Where after seven years now plus of him as governor, we lead the nation in all of the wrong ways, including, by the way, people leaving the state,” he added.
California has seen a crowded and unpredictable field emerge, with candidates including former California Rep. Katie Porter, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, businessman Tom Steyer, and several others seeking to consolidate support after Swalwell’s departure.
Political analysts say the lack of a dominant Democrat has raised concerns within the party about a splintered vote, potentially allowing Republicans to advance in the heavily left-leaning state.
Kiley also sharply criticized Swalwell, saying the former congressman symbolized broader problems in Washington political culture.
“Eric Swalwell represents everything that is wrong with politics,” Kiley said.
“He personifies why politics in this country is so broken,” he continued.
“This is someone who never did anything … related to actually legislating. Everything he did was simply about scoring partisan points,” Kiley said.
Kiley further accused Swalwell of living “a jet-setting lifestyle off of his campaign account” and engaging in online political attacks.
Despite his criticism, Kiley said he took “no satisfaction” in the allegations against Swalwell, calling the claims “absolutely horrifying” and expressing hope that alleged victims “can get the justice and closure that they deserve.”
Kiley also tied the controversy to broader concerns about accountability in government.
“Seeing this pattern that apparently went on for years and years and years without any accountability shows that we do need to have a stronger culture of accountability,” Kiley said.
More broadly, he said the episode reflects growing public frustration with Congress.
“This underscores why so many Americans are utterly disenchanted and disillusioned with Congress,” Kiley said, arguing that some lawmakers act as though “there’s one set of rules that applies to Congress … and another set that applies to everyone else.”
With the June 2 primary approaching and no clear leader emerging, California’s race to succeed Gov. Newsom remains highly fluid, with candidates scrambling to gain momentum in a reshaped political landscape.
