Eric Swalwell (born November 16, 1980) is a former Democratic U.S. Representative from California who served from 2013 to 2026, having previously worked as a deputy district attorney and Dublin City Council member. He first made headlines in 2012 by defeating 20-term Democratic incumbent Pete Stark in a general election, a feat made possible by California's "top two" primary system, using campaign stunts like rubber ducks to mock Stark's refusal to debate. After unsuccessful runs for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and the 2026 California gubernatorial race, his political career ended abruptly in April 2026 when allegations of rape and sexual misconduct forced him to suspend his campaign and resign from Congress, though he denies any wrongdoing. Raised in Dublin, California, by Republican parents, Swalwell attended Campbell University on a soccer scholarship before transferring to the University of Maryland, where he interned for Rep. Ellen Tauscher and created a program for children who lost parents in the September 11 attacks. He later earned a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2006 before entering politics.