Rep. Eric Swalwell, a frequent foe of President Donald Trump, announced on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Thursday night that he is running for governor of California, promising he will be a "protector and fighter" for the state while continuing his long-running feud with the president.
The Democrat congressman, by entering the race, joins an already crowded field to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.
The lineup so far also includes state schools' chief Tony Thurmond, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Controller Betty Yee, former Rep. Katie Porter, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Assembly Member Ian Calderon, businessman Tom Steyer, and executive Stephen Cloobeck.
Republican candidates include Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, and Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso is weighing a bid as well.
A Republican has not won statewide office in California since 2006, when then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger won reelection.
Swalwell's decision to announce on Kimmel's show underscored the duo's shared role in confronting Trump publicly.
After Kimmel's program was temporarily pulled off the air in September, Swalwell showed up to a House Judiciary Committee meeting wearing a Kimmel hat and later posed with colleagues wearing caps provided by the host.
Taking the stage Thursday, he joked that "the president is not going to like this show," a line delivered hours after Trump blasted Kimmel on social media and called on ABC to fire him.
During the broadcast, Swalwell criticized federal actions that he said threaten Californians, from immigration enforcement to cuts in medical research.
"Our state, this great state, needs a fighter and a protector," he said before officially declaring his candidacy, drawing a standing ovation from the studio audience.
The campaign launch marks a new chapter in Swalwell's turbulent relationship with Trump.
Swalwell served as an impeachment manager in Trump's second Senate trial and later sued him over the Jan. 6 attack.
This month, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte referred Swalwell to the Justice Department over alleged tax and mortgage issues, allegations the congressman dismissed as political payback.
Political analysts say Swalwell must present more than an anti-Trump message in a field filled with Democrats staking similar ground.
Swalwell acknowledged he is still refining his policy platform but said he is running "for the right reasons" and is committed to the race.
His entry is already prompting interest in his likely open Bay Area House seat, with local officials considering potential bids.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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