WASHINGTON

US Rep. Eric Swalwell announced early Friday he will run for the governor of California next year.

"California needs a fighter and protector. I’m running for Governor," Swalwell said on US social media company X, sharing his video message.

Swalwell, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, outlined his two main goals. "One, keep the worst president in our history out of our homes, out of our streets, and out of our lives. ... No one will keep Californians safer than I will," he said.

Swalwell said former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi selected him for the intelligence committee and to help lead the impeachment of "a corrupt president."

"Californians will never bend the knee," he said in the video message, which intersperses his remarks with footage of Trump and scenes from the “No Kings” demonstrations.

Turning to his second goal, he said: "And two, bring us a new California. California is the fourth largest economy in the world. So shouldn’t we be a state where you can take your first job, have your first kid and buy your first home in the same decade?"

The 2026 contest to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom has drawn a crowded field, with no single contender yet breaking away from the pack.