Rep. Eric Swalwell

CONGRESS | 15TH DISTRICT | Two-term Rep. Eric Swalwell will not run for U.S. Senate this year. The 34-year-old will instead endorse presumptive favorite State Attorney General Kamala Harris to replace the retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Swalwell never officially entered the race, as the San Francisco Chronicle noted, but the trial balloon floated by his political consultant, was widely suspected to be no more than an attempt to raise his profile and possibly form an exploratory committee. Doing so would allow Swalwell to collect campaign contributions without ever actually running.

The strategy to bring attention to the congressman may have fell somewhat flat. In numerous stories on the U.S. Senate race, both locally and nationally, Swalwell’s name was rarely listed as a potential candidate. More familiar names in Swalwell’s Tri Valley and Contra Costa strongholds, like former Rep. Ellen Tauscher and Rep. John Garamendi, overshadowed him.

The open senate seat is the first in the state since 1992. But, many believe Sen Dianne Feinstein’s tenure is also coming to a close within the end of her current term. If so, the list of potential candidates will likely include the ambitious Swalwell.