Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to step aside after nearly four decades in Congress has opened a wide race to replace her — just as San Francisco wrestles with soaring housing costs and questions over its future.
Pelosi announced Thursday she will not seek reelection next year, closing a historic career that made her the first woman to hold the speaker’s gavel and one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington, according to The Associated Press.
Her departure sets up a battle in her deep-blue district, where Republicans make up just 7% of voters and affordability tops the list of voter concerns. “The median home in our city now costs $1.4 million — far more than any middle-class family can afford,” Democratic candidate and former tech executive Saikat Chakrabarti says on his campaign website.
San Francisco-based consultant Eric Jaye said affordability dominates local politics. “There’s an ongoing debate for older residents and new alike — and a lot of anxiety — over ‘what are we going to be in the future?’” he said.
Pelosi’s decision comes as younger Democrats push for a new generation of leaders. Two candidates had already entered the race — Chakrabarti, a former chief of staff for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, a longtime advocate for denser housing development.
Other names are expected to join the field, including Pelosi’s daughter, attorney and Democratic activist Christine Pelosi, who has long been considered a potential successor. She did not respond to requests for comment.
Wiener, who has represented San Francisco in the state Senate since 2016, has earned praise and criticism for his push to allow taller apartment buildings near transit hubs. “He’s very popular with some constituencies and, frankly, very unpopular with others,” Jaye said. If elected, Wiener would be the first openly gay member of Congress from San Francisco.
Chakrabarti, a wealthy founding engineer at Stripe, has aligned himself with the city’s progressive base, advocating Medicare-for-all and other left-leaning policies. Jaye described him as “the progressive candidate, the generational candidate.”
Other potential contenders include Supervisor Connie Chan, a Hong Kong-born progressive who could draw strong support from labor unions and San Francisco’s Asian-American community.
Political scientist Jason McDaniel said the race will likely center on one defining issue. “Density will be the No. 1 issue,” he said. “The campaign will showcase dueling visions of how to solve that affordability issue.”
