Rep. Eric Swalwell Could Be the Next Governor of California, so Let's Meet His Family!

One of the more contentious political races in 2026 will undoubtedly be the California gubernatorial election. We are one year out and as of this writing, the field is ripe with candidates. As of November 2025, there are 29 declared candidates across multiple parties. It's a big state so it makes sense that a lot of people are available for the job.

One of the frontrunners is Eric Swalwell, the Democrat who represents California's 14th congressional district. He's been in the congressional game since 2013, and is one President Donald Trump's most outspoken critics. He's not afraid to speak out about the atrocities he sees happening in the United States. Obviously Swalwell is no stranger to public scrutiny, but a gubernatorial race could put more focus on his family. Here's what we know about them.

Even though Swalwell is a Democrat, he and his three brothers were raised by Republicans. They were partially raised in Sac City, Iowa by a police chief father and their multi-talented mom Vicky who passed away in August 2025. In a tribute to his mother posted on Facebook, Swalwell wrote that he and his siblings would "marvel daily at her breathless work ethic." After her children were grown, Vicky found yet another career as an administrative assistant at Chevron.

Swalwell's first marriage didn't work out, but his second is still going strong. According to an announcement in The New York Times, he married Brittany Ann Watts on Oct. 14, 2016 at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland, Calif. Watts is from Indiana and at the time of her wedding, was the director of sales for the Ritz-Carlton resort in Half Moon Bay, Calif. The couple shares three children: Nelson (2017), Cricket (2018), and Hank (2021).

It's possible Swalwell could have stayed in the House of Representatives for at least another term. And yet, he decided to try his hand at running the state with the largest economy in America. Swalwell kept it simple on his campaign website. He's running for California governor because "prices are too high and people are scared."

Swalwell goes on to say he wants to be The Golden State's fighter and protector. These are interesting choices that one doesn't usually see in a gubernatorial campaign. Swalwell is undoubtedly reacting to the unwanted presence of ICE agents as well as the National Guard on the streets of his home state, saying that he believes they are "under attack."

Not many people know this, but Swalwell's January 6 lawsuit against Trump is one of the only ones remaining during his second presidency. Swalwell has been fighting Trump for longer than most. Of course he's not just running against the actions of Trump's administration. Swalwell is running for California. "My priorities will be homes and jobs," he said. "If you work hard you should do better for yourself and dream bigger for your kids. That's the new California promise."