Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan Monday to fill her seat ahead of her retirement from Congress.
Pelosi’s late endorsement came as several polls showed Chan tied for second-place with Saikat Chakrabarti, who is trailing behind the frontrunner, Democratic California state Sen. Scott Weiner. Chakrabarti has frequently attacked Pelosi during the campaign and when he worked for Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, while Weiner is the most well-known candidate.
“I know and love this district. I know the Congress. And I know Connie. I’m proud to endorse Democrat Connie Chan and ask you to join me in electing her to Congress,” Pelosi said.
BREAKING: Nancy Pelosi endorses SF Supervisor Connie Chan to succeed her in Congress, saying Chan “stands above” all the other candidates.
The Speaker Emerita’s backing is one of the most coveted in San Francisco politics. Pelosi has held the seat for nearly 40 years. pic.twitter.com/9osp5FpboM
— Monica Madden (@themonicamadden) May 18, 2026
If she wins, Chan would represent California’s 11th district, which Pelosi has represented since she won a special election in 1987.
Chan promised to fight against the so-called “inhumane abuses” carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), according to her campaign website. She also has deep ties to labor unions, promising to “strengthen protections for workers, raise wages, and combat wage theft.”
The far-left candidate also expressed support for sex changes and procedures for trans-identifying people, according to the campaign website.
Pelosi stated in a letter that Chan would fight for “fundamental freedoms and democratic values.” She added that Chan’s background as a Chinese immigrant could bring a “unique perspective” to Congress.
“Connie Chan is the leader best prepared to carry forward the fight for San Francisco in the Congress of the United States,” Pelosi said in a letter to residents. “At a time when fundamental freedoms and democratic values are under assault, we need a leader in Congress who is prepared to fight — forcefully and effectively.”
Chakrabarti, a wealthy former tech engineer, faced a series of challenges in recent weeks. A tech-aligned super PAC backing Weiner released a slew of negative ads about Chakrabarti that questioned his San Francisco roots, while Ocasio-Cortez repeatedly refused to endorse him.
Weiner frustrated many in Pelosi’s circle by launching his campaign just weeks after the former House speaker announced her upcoming retirement in November. He has introduced several pieces of legislation that would allow children to undergo sex changes and puberty blockers during his time in the state Senate. He further authored a bill that relaxed requirements for sex offenders who were no more than ten-years-older than their minor victims, which Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in 2020.
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