Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan in the race to succeed her in Congress, injecting fresh momentum into one of the Bay Area’s most closely watched Democratic contests. Pelosi announced the endorsement in a campaign video with Chan, offering her public backing less than six months after announcing she would retire rather than seek another term.
The endorsement gives Chan a major boost in a race that has largely centered on three Democrats: Chan, state Sen. Scott Wiener, and former congressional aide and tech entrepreneur Saikat Chakrabarti. Pelosi’s support arrives late enough to reshape the final stretch of the contest and underscores how significant her influence remains in San Francisco politics even as she prepares to leave office.
In the video released by her team, Pelosi praised Chan’s record on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and pointed to her work as chair of the board’s budget committee. Pelosi said Chan would fight to strengthen the social safety net and protect rights, while also highlighting Chan’s background as an Asian American immigrant woman and mother.
The move is especially notable because Pelosi had signaled she did not plan to make endorsements in other high-profile California races this cycle. Her decision to step in here amounts to a clear show of preference in the contest to replace her, and it also serves as a setback for Wiener, who has previously spoken admiringly of Pelosi and entered the race as one of its best-known figures.
Wiener remains the race’s apparent frontrunner. Polling cited in the coverage showed him leading by double digits, while Chan and Chakrabarti were running closely behind one another. Former Republican Marie Hurabiell is also in the race, but the central contest remains the Democratic battle over who will inherit one of San Francisco’s most important political seats.
Pelosi’s endorsement could matter most in that fight for second place and in any final effort to consolidate voters who want a candidate more aligned with the city’s progressive and labor-oriented base. Chan has built her campaign around her work in local government and her emphasis on housing, public services, and budget priorities. Pelosi’s backing adds national stature and long-established Democratic credibility to that pitch.
For Wiener, the endorsement is a reminder that institutional support in San Francisco politics can still shift quickly even in races with clear early leaders. He responded respectfully, saying he has deep gratitude for Pelosi’s service and noting that whoever succeeds her will have major shoes to fill.
The bigger picture is that Pelosi has now directly shaped the succession contest for her seat after months of uncertainty over whether she would take sides. That alone makes the endorsement one of the more important developments in the race so far. In a district where Pelosi’s name still carries extraordinary weight, her choice of Chan is likely to influence donors, activists, and undecided voters alike.
With Wiener still leading, Chakrabarti still competitive, and Chan now carrying Pelosi’s public endorsement, the campaign has entered a more consequential phase. What had already been a high-profile race for San Francisco’s next representative now has a clear political signal from the person who held the seat for two decades.
