The race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in California is quickly becoming a crowded field. Among the hopefuls, Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell from California’s 14th District has emerged as a contender, albeit not without some controversy.

Early in the campaign, Swalwell released an advertisement that has drawn significant ridicule, and not without reason. Critics are comparing it to some of the more infamous political missteps, such as Michael Dukakis’s ill-fated tank ride with a helmet, leaving many wondering what Swalwell was thinking.

In an effort to connect with a younger demographic, Swalwell teamed up with Knowa De Baraso, a 13-year-old political influencer, for his campaign ad. However, this attempt to resonate with youth has backfired for Swalwell, as the ad is widely seen as awkward and out of touch. Moreover, the choice of De Baraso, who is not widely recognized, adds another layer of confusion rather than clarity to his message.

This approach, unfortunately, misses the mark, with critics suggesting that it prioritizes cringe-worthy tactics over genuine substance. As the race continues, Swalwell’s strategy will undoubtedly be scrutinized alongside those of his competitors, as he attempts to stand out in a growing field of candidates.

Yikes. This is worse than Michael Dukakis and the helmet.

Then he made it worse. 

Omg

Watch Eric Swalwell try to throw a football pic.twitter.com/X2D2VrLtmm

— JVT (@jvtentertains) December 22, 2025

This isn’t even style over substance; it’s cringe over substance. 

He’s trying to appeal to younger voters by doing an ad with 13-year-old political influencer, Knowa De Baraso. But that just makes him look out of place and weird. Not to mention that most people don’t even know who this kid is. 

You know what else is missing? Anything about how he would make California better if he were elected; it’s just “Elect me, I’m trying to be trendy.” 

California is sinking faster than the Titanic, and the Democrats come up with this buffoon as a solution? https://t.co/7qBYWOHvbm

— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) December 22, 2025

The funniest thing happening in Dem politics is the belief among their comms staff that the way to win back men is just “football” https://t.co/usUs20VMnw

— Carl Paulus (@CarlPaulus) December 22, 2025

But this is emblematic of how empty he is as a candidate and what problems Democrats have with putting forth anyone who could make the state better. They already had to suffer through Gavin Newsom, who has left the state in a mess. He thinks that should earn him a promotion to president in 2028, which takes some kind of gall. 

Swalwell has already shown he can’t even hack the job that he has now.

Both The Sacramento Bee and the New York Post published reports this week noting Swalwell’s absences, which are the most of any active member of the House. According to data from GovTrack, most legislators miss about 3% of roll call votes, but Swalwell is sitting at 7.7% since joining Congress. Swalwell has missed 95 votes out of 342 roll calls in 2025.

He’s even missed more votes than the late Democrat Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), who died nine months ago. 

According to the Bee, he hasn’t cast a vote since he declared his run for governor last month. 

But he’s still found time to hang out with celebrities, like Jimmy Kimmel.