Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell, one of the leading candidates in the race to be California's next governor, has denied allegations of sexual misconduct from former staff.
"These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor," he said in a statement after multiple women made allegations ranging from sexual harassment to rape.
His opponents - and several supporters, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries - have called on him to leave the race.
Democrats will pick their candidate in a primary on 2 June. The winner, expected to become the next governor in the heavily Democratic state, will go on to the 3 November general election.
The first allegation against Swalwell emerged publicly on Friday in the San Francisco Chronicle.
