Gary McCoy draws on lived experience in District 8 bid
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Gary McCoy stands in front of Pink Triangle Memorial Park where, decades ago, he once slept while homeless. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios
Gary McCoy — once homeless and battling addiction — is making his past part of his pitch to voters as he campaigns to represent San Francisco's District 8 as its next supervisor.
Why it matters: The 2026 election will be the first time since 2018 that voters in neighborhoods including the Castro, Noe Valley and the Duboce Triangle choose a new supervisor without an incumbent on the ballot.
- Supervisor Rafael Mandelman is terming out after eight years.
State of play: The election is still a year out, but the race is already heating up, with McCoy facing off against Manny Yekutiel — a small business owner, community leader and self-described political outsider.
Twenty years ago, McCoy, who is gay, was a homeless drug addict roaming the streets of the Castro while struggling with an untreated AIDS diagnosis.
- Today, he hopes his openness about his recovery journey can be channeled into public service and lasting policy reforms in elected office.
- "I can do a lot of good for the district and for the city," McCoy told Axios. "It's part of my recovery ethos — being of service and helping someone else ... which gives us purpose to stay sober ourselves. That's translated for me into public service."
Zoom in: He counts public safety, housing affordability, expanded tenant protections and the cost of living as his biggest priorities.
- McCoy wants more community policing and faster 911 response times — recalling how he was recently jumped by five people near Civic Center in broad daylight and waited more than 30 minutes for police to arrive.
- McCoy seeks to bolster union protections and public transit funding while improving street safety and expanding mental health crisis response.
- He also says the city must streamline approvals to get homes of all types built faster and provide relief to small businesses facing high operating costs and regulatory challenges.
The big picture: The 47-year-old Twin Peaks resident prides himself on his ability to work with colleagues across San Francisco's political spectrum, experience shaped by years in progressive and moderate circles.
- He served as a legislative aide to then-Supervisors Scott Wiener and London Breed and is currently the political director for Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who plans to retire from Congress.
- "'Don't make enemies on behalf of your friends' — it's something that rings true for public service and for working in city government or any form of government," he said, quoting Pelosi.
The intrigue: McCoy has racked up a number of high-profile endorsements, including from Pelosi, District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey and District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan
- Both candidates claim endorsements from former state senator and mayoral candidate Mark Leno. Leno could not be reached for comment.
The bottom line: "I have the experience to get things done," McCoy said. "I've always focused specifically on the policy or the issue at hand and how we address it to benefit the most number of people."
Editor's note: This story has been updated to note that both candidates (not McCoy alone) claim endorsements from Mark Leno.