Eric Swalwell Embarrasses Himself in an Apparent Attempt to Woo Young Men [WATCH]

Several Democratic candidates and lawmakers released fitness-themed videos over the weekend in what appeared to be a coordinated effort to reframe their public image heading into the 2026 election cycle.

The attempt to project physical strength and relatability to voters received mixed reactions, with Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) drawing sharp criticism over a video of himself casually lifting weights.

Swalwell, 44, posted a video online showing himself performing a bench press with relatively light weight, narrating the clip with commentary about House Republicans and the ongoing controversy surrounding the Epstein investigation.

Eric Swalwell Humiliated After Latest Stunt Goes Horribly Wrong. pic.twitter.com/f222hiNk2M

— Diamond and Silk® (@DiamondandSilk) July 29, 2025

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“I should be working right now,” Swalwell said in the video.

“I should be at the Capitol. I should be in a suit. Instead, Republicans sent us home because they would rather stand up for Donald Trump than release the Epstein files and stand up for victims.”

I should be working right now. But Republicans shut down Congress. So instead, I’m pumping iron at the gym. pic.twitter.com/uNRPah17wh

— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) July 28, 2025

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The video quickly circulated on social media platforms, where users mocked the California Democrat for what many saw as a performative and unimpressive attempt to appear strong.

“Democrats are trying to attract white male voters. Swalwell at the gym ‘pumping iron’ won’t help,” Paul A. Szypula posted on X.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) does another cringe “I should be at work” video, this one at the gym where he’s winded half-way through a set of light bench presses.

Democrats are trying to attract white male voters. Swalwell at the gym “pumping iron” won’t help.

(swalwelleric on TT) pic.twitter.com/QLXey5lRII

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) July 27, 2025

Commentator Matt Walsh added, “If I was a grown man who could only bench 135, you’d never see it on video unless someone secretly recorded it, and even then I would never admit it was me.”

If I was a grown man who could only bench 135, you’d never see it on video unless someone secretly recorded it, and even then I would never admit it was me. And yet Swalwell recorded this himself on purpose and posted it proudly. Amazing. https://t.co/X3PPKl3IrD

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) July 28, 2025

The fitness push extended beyond Swalwell.

Colin Allred, a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Texas, released a video in which he curled a dumbbell while criticizing President Donald Trump’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents.

The American people were promised transparency around the Epstein files. We can’t allow corrupt politicians to hide the facts. pic.twitter.com/O9RBKZUmRj

— Colin Allred (@ColinAllredTX) July 18, 2025

Cait Conley, a U.S. Army veteran running in New York’s 17th Congressional District against Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), also posted a video of herself lifting weights while discussing the cost of living in her district.

Life for working families in the Hudson Valley is too damn expensive, and the politicians who got us into this mess are not going to be the ones to get us out of it.

I’m running for congress to take on the cost of living crisis New Yorkers are facing. We need to increase the… pic.twitter.com/0Dr4PK2JDh

— Cait Conley (@CaitforNewYork) June 25, 2025

Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed received more favorable attention for a workout video that featured him squatting what appeared to be over 300 pounds.

When a viewer questioned the weight, El-Sayed replied on social media, “That’s 315, habibi.”

His response drew more than five million views.

That’s 315, habibi. https://t.co/ae3zyrzQeB

— Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) July 17, 2025

The video rollout raised eyebrows among political strategists.

Democratic consultant Pat Dennis told CNN that while outreach to various voter groups is important, authenticity matters.

“I would caution Democrats against pulling out a checklist — ‘For young men, we’ll do some bench pressing; for young women, we’ll talk about the Barbie movie,’” Dennis said.

“People don’t like checklists and they don’t like being pandered to. They remember you for who you are. You need to be authentic, in a way that is believable.”

The gym-based messaging comes as Democrats seek to boost appeal among male and working-class voters, particularly in competitive districts and Senate races.

While candidates like El-Sayed may benefit from increased visibility during a contested primary for the seat currently held by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), it is unclear what political benefit Swalwell may gain.

Swalwell has remained a visible figure in Democratic politics despite a long-running controversy involving a prior relationship with a woman later identified as a Chinese intelligence operative.

When you look at a print out of your text exchange with Fang Fang. https://t.co/hXvxJKhIph

— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) July 25, 2025

He has been the subject of repeated jokes and criticisms by Republican colleagues and has faced heckling at town halls in his district.

Eric Swalwell heckled at California town hall:

“Where’s Fang-Fang!? You’re a liar!” pic.twitter.com/WNZqAXN51P

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) August 2, 2023

As Democrats continue refining their messaging ahead of the next election cycle, the effectiveness of fitness-focused videos as a political strategy remains to be seen.