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Swalwell Announces He's Running For Governor As Kimmel Calls Trump 'Horrifying'
The lack of distinction between the late night comedy shows and the Democratic Party revealed itself again on Thursday as California Rep. Eric Swalwell received a standing ovation from ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s studio audience after he announced he is running for governor. Swalwell’s announcement came after Kimmel referred to President Trump as “horrifying” and a history of attempting to elect Democrats.
Kimmel, who, the last time he interviewed Swalwell, asked if Sen. Ted Cruz eats urinal cakes, put the ball on the tee when he wondered, “You are being now personally investigated by the Justice Department, as are a number of Democrats that Trump doesn't like. Suddenly they're looking into mortgage fraud. What's the story with that?”
Swalwell insisted he’s done nothing wrong, “It's, of course, nonsense just like going after Adam Schiff for mortgage fraud is nonsense. Going after Tish James is nonsense. Going after Ms. Cook, the fed governor, is nonsense, and, you know, shocking, I'll break it to you now, Jimmy. He's probably going to go after someone next week, and it will also be nonsense, but if he thinks for one second that me, Schiff, Cook, Tish James, are going to hide under the bed or shrink or just go quiet, we're not. We're not. And what the American people are saying right now is they want Donald Trump out of our homes, out of our streets, out of our lives, and out of this studio.”
That led Kimmel to try to plot strategy, “What are we going to do? How do you stop this?”
Getting into full campaign mode, Swalwell declared, “Well, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I love California. It's the greatest country in the world.”
After Kimmel simply asked, “country?” Swalwell rolled on, “Greatest country in the world. But that's why it pisses me off to see Californians running through the fields where they work from ICE agents or troops in our streets.”
Kimmel agreed, “It's horrifying. It’s absolutely horrifying.”
Continuing with his stump speech, Swalwell parroted the idea and made his announcement:
It's horrifying. Or cancer research being canceled. It's awful to look at. And our state, this great state, needs a fighter and a protector. Someone who will bring prices down, lift wages up. And we can say that we're the fourth-largest economy in the world, and we are, and I love to brag about that. But what does that mean if you can't afford to live here? So I've been in these fights as a city councilmember up in Dublin, my hometown. As a prosecutor in Oakland. And taking on the most corrupt president ever in the U.S. Congress. But I'm ready to bring this fight home. So I came here tonight, Jimmy, to tell you and your audience that I'm running to be the next governor of California. I'm excited to do it.”
As the audience gave Swalwell a standing ovation, nobody bothered to ask why, given its heavily Democratic government, California is unaffordable to live in.
Additionally, Swalwell using Kimmel to make his announcement fits a pattern for the host. Kimmel was the host of the infamous fundraiser that saw former President Barack Obama have to escort President Joe Biden off the stage. Kimmel has also fundraised for Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen.
Here is a transcript for the November 20-taped show:
ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live!
11/21/2025
12:28 PM ET
JIMMY KIMMEL: You are being now personally investigated by the Justice Department, as are a number of Democrats that Trump doesn't like.
ERIC SWALWELL: Yes.
KIMMEL: Suddenly they're looking into mortgage fraud.
SWALWELL: Yes.
KIMMEL: What's the story with that?
SWALWELL: It's, of course, nonsense just like going after Adam Schiff for mortgage fraud is nonsense. Going after Tish James is nonsense. Going after Ms. Cook, the fed governor, is nonsense, and, you know, shocking, I'll break it to you now, Jimmy. He's probably going to go after someone next week, and it will also be nonsense, but if he thinks for one second that me, Schiff, Cook, Tish James, are going to hide under the bed or shrink or just go quiet, we're not. We're not. And what the American people are saying right now is they want Donald Trump out of our homes, out of our streets, out of our lives, and out of this studio.
KIMMEL: I think he wants out of this studio too.
SWALWELL: Yes, he does.
KIMMEL: What are we going to do? How do you stop this?
SWALWELL: Well, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I love California. It's the greatest country in the world.
KIMMEL: Country?
SWALWELL: Greatest country in the world. But that's why it pisses me off to see Californians running through the fields where they work from ICE agents or troops in our streets.
KIMMEL: It's horrifying. It’s absolutely horrifying
SWELWELL: It's horrifying. Or cancer research being canceled. It's awful to look at. And our state, this great state, needs a fighter and a protector. Someone who will bring prices down, lift wages up. And we can say that we're the fourth-largest economy in the world, and we are, and I love to brag about that. But what does that mean if you can't afford to live here? So I've been in these fights as a city councilmember up in Dublin, my hometown. As a prosecutor in Oakland. And taking on the most corrupt president ever in the U.S. Congress. But I'm ready to bring this fight home. So I came here tonight, Jimmy, to tell you and your audience that I'm running to be the next governor of California. I'm excited to do it. Thank you.