Two Congressmen, One Day, One Scandal: The Double Resignation That Reshaped the House

At 11:59 PM on April 14, Rep. Tony Gonzales's resignation became official. Earlier that day, Rep. Eric Swalwell had already submitted his own. Both faced expulsion votes. Both were accused of sexual misconduct. One was a three-term Republican from a Texas border district. The other was a Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner in California. The coincidence ends there — but the consequences are intertwined.

The Parallel Exits

The Expulsion Votes That Never Happened

Both men resigned to avoid what would have been historic expulsion votes. House members were scheduled to vote on expelling both Gonzales and Swalwell — a procedure the chamber has used only five times in its history, all during the Civil War era. The dual resignations preempted that vote, but the fact that it was even on the table reflects how thoroughly both scandals had consumed their caucuses.

The Ripple Effects

For the House majority: The two resignations created two new vacancies, temporarily dropping the chamber to 216 Republicans and 213 Democrats (before Mejia's NJ-11 win on April 16). The current count — 217R, 214D, 1I, 3 vacant — means Speaker Johnson is governing with the slimmest possible margin.

For Texas: Gonzales's exit turned TX-23 from a safe Republican seat into a competitive race. Brandon Herrera, the GOP nominee, carries significant baggage. Democrat Katy Padilla Stout has already launched her campaign. Abbott's reluctance to call a special election is becoming a political issue of its own.

For California: Swalwell's exit didn't just vacate a House seat — it blew up the governor's race. As the leading Democratic candidate, his collapse reshuffled endorsements, fundraising networks, and voter coalitions six weeks before the June 2 primary. The California Teachers Association and SEIU, which had endorsed Swalwell, now have no endorsed candidate and may not have time to pick a new one before the primary.

The Pattern

Gonzales and Swalwell are not the first members to exit Congress amid misconduct in this cycle. Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned in January. Doug LaMalfa died the next day. The pace of departures has been relentless — 55 members are now not seeking reelection, the highest retirement count in years.

What's different about the Gonzales-Swalwell dual exit is the symmetry. One from each party. Both facing the same category of allegations. Both choosing resignation over the unprecedented spectacle of a modern-era expulsion vote. And both leaving behind political vacuums that will shape the midterm map for months to come.