Eric Swalwell was visiting an ice-cream parlor in Castro Valley when seven women -- mostly Republicans, average age near 60 -- asked the young congressional candidate and Alameda County prosecutor to sit down with them.

The leader of the group, a savvy, bespectacled woman, began by saying they all knew that incumbent Pete Stark had to go. Then, like a prosecutor herself, she volleyed the first question: Where did Swalwell stand on high-speed rail? "I'd like to see it pencil out,'' said the 31-year-old Dublin City Council member, who has the earnest look of the former college soccer goalie he once was. His inquisitor laughingly seemed to reject him. "OK, that's it,'' she said.

Swalwell held his ground. He acknowledged that he didn't want high-speed rail to begin in the Central Valley, a train to nowhere. But Americans needed to think big again.

Then, as the conversation turned to energy, a field in which the women's husbands worked, he found common ground on wind, natural gas, even geysers. With no Republican on the ballot, you could tell he picked up a vote or two.

Two impressions

I spent an afternoon walking around with Swalwell last week, an experience that left me with two impressions. For a relative unknown, the guy has political savvy beyond his years. And there's more than a bit of bulldog in him.

After finishing six percentage points behind Stark in the primary

It's one of the best political races in the Bay Area. It poses new Democrat versus staunch liberal, youth versus age, and one man ascending to the top of his game versus a veteran who shows signs of losing it.

In the primary, Pete Stark ran against Pete Stark. In a famous and incorrect outburst, he accused Swalwell of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes.

This time, Stark's handlers have erected a protective cocoon around him, declining debates. At a gay pride event in Castro Valley, Stark talked in front of the stage for 45 seconds. Swallwell leapt atop the stage and gave a five-minute spiel.

Different universe

To be sure, a general election brings out a different universe than a primary. (see www.mercurynews.com/scott-herhold for a breakdown on the race). One question is where the Indo-American vote and money go. A Swalwell victory would damage the ambitions of Ro Khanna, the polished Indo-American lawyer who many see as the heir to Stark.

I don't pretend to objectivity. Pete Stark is long past his due date. I was encouraged to see that his young challenger has good political instincts and a ferocious work ethic.

We stopped at one house where the lady told us that her friend had a Swalwell for Congress sign. The two women were friends because their kids were in Irish dancing.

Before we left, Swalwell had made the connection. The California city of Dublin, where he grew up, had a festival that featured Irish dancing. Did she know about it? She nodded and then grinned.

408-275-0917 or sherhold@mercurynews.com. Twitter:

@ScottHerhold