Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed Supervisor Connie Chan this week in the race to succeed her in Congress, delivering a major boost to a candidate who has struggled to keep pace with her better-funded rivals.

Why it matters: Pelosi's 11th-hour backing could prove decisive in the high-stakes primary, potentially helping consolidate traditional Democratic voters behind Chan while tying her candidacy to one of the most powerful political networks in the country.

Catch up quick: Pelosi announced last year that she would retire after nearly four decades representing California's 11th Congressional District, setting off one of the city's biggest political succession fights in decades.

The race has largely centered on three Democrats:

• Chan, whose base includes labor, Chinese American voters and local progressives.
• State Sen. Scott Wiener, the well-funded institutional candidate with strong support from housing advocates and statewide Democratic leaders.
• Former AOC chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti, the self-funded progressive insurgent running on an anti-establishment message.

Driving the news: Pelosi officially endorsed Chan in a video released Monday following weeks of publicly praising her while stopping short of formally backing a candidate.

Between the lines: The endorsement lands at a pivotal moment for Chan, whose immediate challenge is securing a spot in the November election by placing at least second in the primary.

• Chan and Chakrabarti have been locked in a close fight for second place, and Pelosi's backing could help Chan access the former speaker's expansive donor network as campaigns enter the final stretch before primary voting wraps on June 2.
• The endorsement carries particular weight for Chan, whose political network aligns with many of the same constituencies that powered Pelosi's rise, including organized labor and immigrant voters.

Pelosi also appears to be drawing a line against the party's anti-establishment wing.

• Chakrabarti has framed his campaign as a challenge to institutional Democratic leadership, arguing the party needs a more confrontational economic message. The former tech executive and Bernie Sanders ally has poured $5 million of his own money into his campaign.

Wiener presents a more complicated political dynamic.

• He is one of the most experienced elected officials in the race and has spent years positioning himself for higher office, but tensions between Pelosi and Wiener over political succession and overlapping ambitions have long fueled speculation about whether Pelosi would ultimately support his campaign.

Pelosi had repeatedly suggested she might stay neutral in the race, but she ultimately chose to intervene two weeks before polls close.

• About 29,000 ballots had been returned as of Tuesday, roughly 5.4% of the 533,000 mailed to voters weeks earlier.

The bottom line: The endorsement may not immediately make Chan the front-runner, but it gives her support from the city's most dominant Democratic figure at a moment when voters are deciding what follows the Pelosi era.

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There's a growing scam at gas stations that could leave drivers paying hundreds of dollars for fuel they never pumped.

How it works: A scammer places a small screw or bolt in the nozzle cradle so the pump doesn't properly shut off after use.

• That keeps the transaction open, allowing charges to pile up on the victim's card long after they've driven away.

Another version of the scam targets older drivers.

• A stranger offers to help pump their gas, then intentionally fails to properly replace the nozzle after the customer leaves — keeping the transaction active so they can fuel other vehicles on the victim's card.

🚨 Threat level: Police in several states, including California, have issued warnings about the scheme, which authorities believe is spreading nationwide.

👉 How to protect yourself: Beware of "helpful" strangers, make sure the nozzle latches fully and get a receipt for the transaction.

💸 Fast fashion giant Shein's reported acquisition of SF-based retailer Everlane marks a striking fall for a brand once viewed as the poster child for ethical shopping, according to critics.

• The $100 million sale is being cast as a symbolic end to the millennial-era sustainable fashion movement. (SF Standard)

The 58-year-old Outer Sunset resident who was shot and killed by a gunman early Sunday near 46th Avenue and Ulloa Street has been identified as Eric Bigone. (Mission Local)

🏦 Supervisor Chyanne Chen plans to introduce a charter amendment before the Board of Supervisors to establish a municipal financial corporation — the first key step to creating what could become the nation's first city-run public bank. (SF Chronicle)

I stumbled across this flower-draped pergola off Cole and Oak streets while walking near the Panhandle during this week's rare stretch of warm weather.

• Between the bright flowers, tangled greenery and shaded walkway, it felt like a tiny reminder to slow down and appreciate the little pockets of beauty hidden throughout the city.

✨ Just another reason to love San Francisco.