San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan and State Senator Scott Wiener have advanced to the November runoff in the race to succeed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in California’s 11th Congressional District, according to CBS News projections.
What happened
The June 2 primary featured 11 candidates vying for the seat, including eight Democrats, two Republicans, and one no party preference candidate. The district lies entirely within San Francisco, excluding a few neighborhoods such as the Excelsior District and Visitacion Valley.
Chan and Wiener secured the top two spots, moving on to the general election in November. Chan represents the Richmond District on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, a position she has held since 2020. She recently received an endorsement from Pelosi. Wiener has served in the California State Senate since 2016, representing parts of San Francisco and northern San Mateo County, and has also held a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in the past.
Other Democratic contenders included Saikat Chakrabarti, notable for his prior roles with Bernie Sanders’ campaign and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as civil rights and small business advocates. The Republican candidates were David Ganezer and Jingchao Xiong, with Nathan Deer running as a no party preference candidate.
A May poll by the San Francisco Chronicle showed Wiener leading with 40% support, with Chan and Chakrabarti closely behind at 17% and 18%, respectively. Chakrabarti had spent the most in campaign funds totaling $8.8 million by mid-May.
Why it matters
This race will determine the successor to Nancy Pelosi, a historic figure in American politics known for being the first female Speaker of the House and a dominant force in the Democratic Party. The outcome could influence the representation and policy priorities for San Francisco at the federal level. Both Chan and Wiener bring extensive local political experience and endorsements that could shape the district’s future leadership.
Background
Nancy Pelosi announced she will not seek re-election, concluding a congressional career that began in 1987 and included her tenure as Speaker of the House. Her departure has opened a competitive race for one of California’s most prominent congressional seats.
Wiener is noted for legislation on housing and transit funding in California, while Chan has served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors since 2020. The 11th District covers most of San Francisco except for some southeastern neighborhoods, making it a heavily Democratic area where the primary often determines the eventual representative.
Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source:
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