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Jordan Wood, the Democrat and former Capitol Hill operative running in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District race, said Monday he will no longer accept the endorsement he had received from U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell amid the California Democrat facing sexual assault allegations.
Wood said Monday morning the allegations against Swalwell are “appalling, and I commend the courage and bravery of these women to come forward.”
“I no longer acknowledge the Congressmen’s endorsement of my campaign,” Wood wrote on social media, “and I am donating his contribution to a local in-district food bank.”
Wood is running to succeed U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and the limited polling that’s been conducted shows him running behind State Auditor Matt Dunlap and state Sen. Joe Baldacci, D-Bangor, ahead of the June primary. The winner of that race will face former Gov. Paul LePage in November.
Monday’s announcement is an example of how endorsements from figures across the country can sometimes either help or cause headaches for Maine campaigns. Swalwell had previously donated $1,000 to Wood’s campaign, which has reported raising more than $4.3 million and spending about $3.7 million since last April. Swalwell previously said that “Maine’s 2nd District deserves a representative with Jordan’s courage and integrity.”
Much of Wood’s fundraising came when he first got in the U.S. Senate race to take on U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. He switched to the 2nd District contest in November following Golden’s announcement on not seeking reelection.
Swalwell suspended his California gubernatorial campaign Sunday after the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday on a former staffer accusing Swalwell of sexually assaulting her in the past. CNN then reported later Friday that three other women alleged various kinds of sexual misconduct by the 45-year-old, who has represented California in Congress since 2013.
Swalwell wrote on social media Sunday he was “deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past” but added that he “will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made” while dropping out of California’s crowded gubernatorial contest. The district attorney’s office in Manhattan said it has opened an investigation into one of the allegations against Swalwell over an alleged assault that reportedly occurred in New York.
Swalwell announced Monday afternoon that he plans to resign from Congress.
Wood worked for advocacy groups on Capitol Hill for years and was previously chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, D-California, who is also running in that state’s gubernatorial race. His campaign had previously received endorsements from both Porter and Swalwell, among other figures.
Wood, 36, said Swalwell should resign from Congress, and that if he does not, the U.S. House of Representatives should vote to expel him and U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican who is also facing sexual misconduct allegations.
Dunlap, one of the other 2nd District candidates, echoed that Monday morning.
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