Scott Wiener Plans Run for Nancy Pelosi’s Congressional Seat
The openly gay lawmaker may enter the race early as pressure builds on Pelosi from progressives and a shifting San Francisco electorate.
California State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), a gay lawmaker long targeted by the right for his progressive record on LGBTQ rights and criminal justice reform, is reportedly planning to run for U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi‘s (D-Calif.) congressional seat in 2026, according to The San Francisco Standard.
At 85, Pelosi — a two-time Speaker of the U.S. House — has largely receded from the political spotlight, creating an opening for challengers in her heavily Democratic district. She has not yet said whether she plans to seek another term.
Wiener, who previously indicated he would not run until Pelosi stepped down, has been spurred by the rise of progressive candidate Saikat Chakrabarti — a tech millionaire and former chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). A formal campaign announcement is reportedly expected next week.
In recent months, Chakrabarti has drawn sizable crowds to campaign events across San Francisco, using them to criticize the Democratic Party’s current direction and appeal to disenchanted progressives and anti-establishment voters. He has said he’ll run regardless of Pelosi’s decision to retire or seek another term.
Chakrabarti’s campaign released a poll showing that 65% of registered voters in the district — including 51% of self-described Pelosi supporters — believe the area, which covers most of San Francisco, needs new congressional leadership. In a head-to-head matchup, Chakrabarti outperformed Pelosi after respondents reviewed both candidates’ biographies.
Sources close to Wiener say the poll reinforced the idea that Pelosi could be vulnerable to a primary challenge. By announcing now, Wiener would have time to build a credible campaign, secure endorsements, and raise funds for what’s expected to be an expensive race in one of the nation’s costliest media markets. His exploratory committee has already raised about $1 million.
“People are hungry for something different,” one source told The Standard of Wiener’s expected entry into the race. “There’s a sense that the time has come for other candidates to run.”
A separate EMC Research poll of 500 registered San Francisco voters found that 51% would prefer to elect someone other than Pelosi to Congress. Among potential challengers, Wiener — whose state senate district overlaps with Pelosi’s — earned the highest favorability rating at 61%. Another progressive, Supervisor Connie Chan, came in at 28%, while Chakrabarti and Pelosi’s daughter, Christine, each registered 21%.
Asked about his plans, Wiener told The San Francisco Standard in a text message, “I’ve been preparing and raising money for whenever the race starts.”
Pelosi, meanwhile, has remained quiet about her political future. Her spokesperson, Ian Krager, said she’s focused on building support for Proposition 50, a ballot measure backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that would help Democrats redraw five congressional seats in their favor — a counterweight to Texas’s mid-decade redistricting effort benefiting Republicans.
“Speaker Pelosi is fully focused on her mission to win the ‘Yes on 50′ special election in California on the path to taking back the House for the Democrats,” Krager wrote in a statement. “She urges all Californians to join in that mission.”
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