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Pleasanton and the rest of the southern Tri-Valley are deciding for the sixth time whether Eric Swalwell should be their district representative in Washington, D.C. — and for the second general election in a row, the opposing choice is the same challenger, Alison Hayden.
Swalwell (D-Livermore) defeated Hayden for reelection in 2020 by a margin of 70.9% to 29.1%.
Hayden, a special education teacher from Hayward, returned among five other challengers against Swalwell in the June 2022 primary election for the newly redrawn District 14 and finished in second place with 10.3% of the vote (with Swalwell in first at 63.6%) to book a spot on the Nov. 8 congressional runoff. She is listed on the ballot as a Republican, but she told the Weekly on Tuesday she has rejected the Republican Party’s endorsement.
Swalwell, a former Dublin City Council member and Alameda County prosecutor, continues to be one of the more recognizable members of the U.S. House of Representatives, helped by his visible presence on social media and national news interviews, especially as a critic of Congressional Republicans.
He told the Weekly he is “dedicated to delivering tangible results” for the residents of his district.
Swalwell cited federal Community Project Funding he helped secure for nine projects in his district, which included $2 million for design of an Iron Horse Regional Trail overcrossing in San Ramon, $1 million for Veterans Park in Livermore and $450,000 for the Axis Bridge mental health urgent care services pilot program.
He also is clearly keeping an eye on House and Senate results across the United States to achieve his goals locally and districtwide.
“House Democrats have been laser focused on bringing down costs — at the pharmacy, grocery, and gas pump. But we can only do that if Democrats are reelected with strong majorities in both chambers,” Swalwell said.
“Next Congress, I’ll push for passage of the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act in both chambers,” Swalwell said.
“In addition, I would ensure that all women have the ability to make their own decisions about their bodies and their families,” he added. “As extreme Republicans are passing abortion bans throughout the country, Congress would step in to protect this constitutional right to privacy and ensure that all women have access to choice and freedom.”
“And protecting our democracy is of the utmost importance. The Republican Party is trying to undermine free elections and inventing a basis to overturn the results of elections they don’t agree with,” Swalwell said. “With a greater majority in Congress, Democrats could pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, which would bolster our democracy by protecting voting rights, ending partisan gerrymandering, fixing campaign finance and safeguarding the electoral process.”
For her part, Hayden also casts this election through the lens of big-picture national issues.
“I will immediately address the safety concerns … and the financial instabilities and risks that threaten families economically as well as bring new vision and opportunities,” Hayden told the Weekly.
“America/n culture and society is under siege; we are at a crucial moment of our evolution,” she continued. “We must unite to save marriages, families and communities in order to save the country. It is not the time to vote for party politics. We must build bridges on our commonalities and restore the bedrock of society, the family.”
Hayden also criticized Swalwell as too focused on “his own political ambitions” over the needs of his district residents, especially on national issues such as the Russian war in Ukraine, inflation, immigration and China.
“This election is about sovereignty, law and order, financial stability and the American way of life. We must vote for the candidate who represents our values, not political party,” Hayden said.
Pleasanton, Livermore and Dublin are now part of the 14th Congressional District after redistricting in the wake of the 2020 census. The borders remain largely the same as Swalwell’s prior District 15, including communities to the west such as Hayward, Castro Valley and Union City — although the district no longer includes parts of the San Ramon Valley.
So, are you Democrats going to continue to elect THE most embarrassing Congressperson again? Worse than Waters, Pelosi, and Newsom (and that is saying a lot), are you willing to allow this guy who lied to us all about Russia, Russia, Russia; fails to do anything about the Southern boarder; refuses to resign after sleeping with our enemy; spends our taxpayer money on trips, alcohol, and his wife’s company; fails to stop this state from falling off the cliff that is continuing to rely on unreliable energy; fails to address what is happening in our schools; and fails to say ‘NO’ to the out-of-control spending that is destroying American lives. Here is your chance at some modicum expression of redemption of putting our country through this nightmare.
Democrats- have the courage to finally step up and do something that is correct.
“”House Democrats have been laser focused on bringing down costs — at the pharmacy, grocery, and gas pump. But we can only do that if Democrats are reelected with strong majorities in both chambers,” Swalwell said.”
Perhaps they are focused bringing down costs only for themselves. But not for the rest of us.
Prices for food, energy, cars, etc. have only increased since Democrats have been in charge. “Progressives” do not understand economics, think government is the “solution” for everything, and will predictably increase spending (and make inflation worse) should they keep the majority in Congress. Joe Biden is responsible for higher energy prices due to his hysterical “climate crisis” policies that have restricted domestic oil/gas production. He has now resorted to begging unfriendly regimes for energy and depleting our strategic reserves.
No “laser focus” needed from Swalwell. Let’s just focus on voting the people out (Democrats) who caused the costs/inflation to increase in the first place and tell Biden his regulating/spending spree is over.
She did the best thing and rejected the GQP . That’s a plus, and not enough room to discuss election deniers. Staying with Eric Swalwell !
If only Alison Hayden was a viable opponent, but I’m not going to vote for someone who regularly calls in to County Board of Supervisors meetings to yell about vaccine conspiracies or anal sex (go listen to some recent meeting recordings) or whose supporters scream at passersby at Ptown Farmers Markets or a candidate. No thanks.
We have reached critical mass where there are more non-achievers than achievers in his district. He gets reelected because of his catering to those that need the handouts. Dumb as a stone, and able to photo-bomb better than anyone in DC.
I wonder if anybody that leans GOP and whines about Swalwell ever looks at the margins of his wins?
Huh. No wonder no GOP is in higher Calif office.
Eric gets enough to win the election, but let’s not overstate that he gets enough to succeed by a small margin of voters overall.
Secondly, I question ignorant phrases such as “election deniers;” “climate deniers;” and “insurrection deniers.” So one can never ask questions? One shouldn’t read the data or research the alternative? I’m not a sheep. I don’t listen to CNN.
At least we know who to hold accountable for our problems don’t we?
“The liberals are nothing but political hypocrites who use our people as political footballs only to get bills passed that will increase their own power.” Malcolm X
>>a small margin of voters overall.
I’m guessing you didn’t look. tsk, tsk. Small, indeed.
Kinda a reason no GOP holds higher office in Calif; the voters.
Diversity of opinion/background/experience only applies in corporate places Shale99? Funny how a majority political party can require different values for everyone else huh?
Unfortunately I do agree Swalwells opponent in this election isn’t a strong opponent. Which is too bad, because we definitely deserve someone that has our interests at heart first, not his own personal agenda or Nancy’s. He’s the speed bump for the Democrats.
“Kinda a reason no GOP holds higher office in Calif; the voters.”
You are absolutely correct. Couple that with ‘mail-in voting,’ ballot harvesting, voting by illegals, and you have a receipt for voting interference. But I would imagine that isn’t a concern for you, but a relief, and when you look at the outcome of our state, it puzzles us that you see this as a good thing. We view things differently for sure, but I have attempted to find common ground between our outlook; however, I draw a blank when I do so. I witness the social Justice polices that continue to destroy our state; our educational system and teaching ideology that is harming our kids; climate fraud that is taking an enormous amount of wealth from us; and more. You are in love with this by rewarding a party which went extinct back in the 60’s. A party that resembles a Marxist movement that has been infiltrating this country since the lates 50’s. Where do you get your information? When did you stop being aware? When did you give up? That would be an interesting conversation, but probably a frightening one.
Good luck with your decisions. They affect us all, and not in a good way.
>>> I do agree Swalwells opponent in this election isn’t a strong opponent
or any of his previous elections, aye? idk, due to redistricting he’s no longer in my district. So who knows: maybe your grand wish of a GOP could win? someday? 😉
No surprise that Republicans haven’t won in California in last twenty years. California does have the lowest literacy rate in the nation.
>>California does have the lowest literacy rate in the nation.
but nearly the 4th highest economy in the world. Good work Dems? 😉