Wiener, Chan advance in race for Pelosi's seat
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Left photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images. Right photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
State Sen. Scott Wiener and Supervisor Connie Chan advanced Tuesday to November's election to succeed Rep. Nancy Pelosi in one of San Francisco's most closely watched Democratic contests.
By the numbers: Wiener secured a runoff spot with about 41% of the vote, with Chan securing about 29%, per the AP.
- Chan celebrated her second place lead at an election party Tuesday evening after returns showed her doubling the votes of former congressional aide Saikat Chakrabarti — despite his self-funded $10 million campaign.
The big picture: The race for the 11th Congressional District is shaping up as a fight between two elected officials with similar priorities but contrasting visions of how San Francisco should wield power in Washington.
State of play: Wiener enters the runoff as the establishment favorite, backed by much of the city's political and business leadership.
- If Chan advances, it'll be with support from Pelosi, organized labor and neighborhood-based progressive groups.
Pelosi's late endorsement of Chan appears to have achieved its immediate goal: helping secure her place in the top two and preventing Chakrabarti from turning the race into a national proxy battle between Democratic establishment figures and the party's progressive flank.
- Pelosi endorsed Chan just weeks before the election, praising her record and elevating her candidacy after largely staying out of the succession contest.
- "Nancy Pelosi's endorsement absolutely turned the tide for us," Chan told Axios Tuesday night. "We knew it ... but we have also been building momentum."
Wiener has built his political brand around pursuing housing construction, transit investments and statewide legislative wins.
- Supporters argue his experience navigating Sacramento makes him best equipped to hit the ground running in Congress.
Chan championed affordability, labor protections and public services as a supervisor while positioning herself as a more grounded voice for working-class residents.
Between the lines: Wiener often argues for building more housing and embracing politically difficult compromises to deliver results. Chan has frequently emphasized community input and protecting residents from the unintended consequences of rapid change.
What we're watching: Chan's path now depends on consolidating voters who wanted a more progressive alternative to Wiener while also expanding beyond her traditional political base.
- Chan is expected to focus on neighborhood concerns, affordability and labor issues while seeking to unify voters skeptical of Wiener's governing approach.
- Wiener entered the race with more fundraising, broader institutional support and higher name recognition after years in local and state government. He also secured the backing of the California Democratic Party.
- If elected, Chan would become the first Asian American to represent San Francisco in Congress, a milestone that could resonate in a city where nearly one-quarter of residents are Chinese American.
What's next: The race is expected to intensify quickly before voters make their choice Nov. 3.