Copyright Newsweek
Representative Nancy Pelosi, the veteran California Democrat and former Speaker of the House, has announced that she is retiring from Congress and will not seek re-election next year. "Thank you, San Francisco, for trusting me to be your voice in Congress. May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America," Pelosi, 85, said in a six-minute video paying tribute to her home city and her decades in politics. Why It Matters Nancy Pelosi was first elected to the U.S. House in the 1986 election. She served as minority whip, minority leader, and later speaker of the House—becoming the first, and thus far only, woman ever to hold the role. As Speaker, she was second in the line of succession to the president. After Pelosi's nearly four decades in Congress, several Democrats in California are openly, or rumored to be, eyeing runs for her seat. Here's a closer look at who is in the mix. State Senator Scott Wiener State Senator Scott Wiener, 55, announced in October that he is running for Pelosi’s seat in 2026. In a press release, he said: “I’m running for Congress because San Franciscans deserve a leader who can stand up to Trump's extremist agenda. This moment demands backbone and hard work that delivers results and makes people’s lives better. That’s what I’ve brought to every fight in my decades of public service in San Francisco and Sacramento, and that’s what I’ll bring to Washington.” He currently serves as a state Senator after being elected to the post in 2016. He represents the California district that includes San Francisco, Broadmoor, Colma, and Daly City. He serves as Chair of the Senate Budget Committee and Chair of the Senate Legislative Ethics Committee, according to his Senate website. Prior to serving in the state Senate, he served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, deputy city attorney, and a private lawyer. He received a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and a law degree from Harvard Law School. He told local outlet KQED that his run “really isn’t about Nancy Pelosi,” adding that she “has moved mountains for the country and for San Francisco, and I think the world of her. She’s not said whether she’s running again and we’re now to the point where we’re just a few months out from the filing deadline. And so it was time to enter the race.” He has long pushed for housing reforms in the Golden State, which has a severe affordable housing shortage, and earlier this month, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed into law his bill to allow taller apartment buildings along and near transit routes. Saikat Chakrabarti Saikat Chakrabarti, 39, a software engineer and co-founder of the progressive organization Justice Democrats and president of New Consensus, announced his run against Pelosi in February. He has had a successful behind-the-scenes political campaign career, as well as in software engineering. He is a Harvard University graduate. He was instrumental to Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 2018 upset primary victory in New York—defeating powerful former Representative Joe Crowley, who was then serving as the chair of the House Democratic Caucus. Chakrabarti went on to work as Ocasio-Cortez's chief of staff, helping to manage her rise on the political stage and in Congress. After leaving Ocasio-Cortez's staff in 2019, he focused his efforts on working with New Consensus, an organization dedicated to the Green New Deal. Chakrabarti was key to moving the policy idea forward as part of Ocasio-Cortez's team. Then, in early February, he announced his intention to challenge one of the most powerful Democrats in office. "Speaker Emerita Pelosi has done a lot for this country, but it's time for a new generation of leaders in Congress and the Democratic Party," Chakrabarti previously told Newsweek. "Americans desperately want transformational change — to turn this country around and to turn their communities and cities around. Democratic Party establishment politics have failed us. That's what made Trump possible, and at this point, only a complete change in party leadership can save the party and the country." San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan Connie Chan, 47, has not announced her run for office, but has been coming up under Pelosi’s wing, leading political pundits to speculate a possible run. Last weekend, she spoke alongside Pelosi at the recent “No Kings” protest in San Francisco. Robyn Burke, a spokesperson for Chan, previously told Politico on the matter, “She supports Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for Congress." That was prior to Pelosi's announcement, however. She represents District 1 on the Board of Supervisors, which includes Inner Richmond, Central Richmond, Outer Richmond, Lone Mountain, Golden Gate Park, Lincoln Park, University of San Francisco, Sea Cliff, and Presidio Terrace. In that role, she serves as chair of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee and is a member of the San Francisco County Transit Authority and the San Francisco Local Agency Formation Commission. She was born in Hong Kong and moved to San Francisco when she was 13 years old. She graduated from the University of California, Davis. Christine Pelosi Christine Pelosi, 59, is a political strategist, attorney, and activist best known for her role within the Democratic Party and as the daughter of the former House Speaker. She has combined her legal expertise with political advocacy throughout her career, and has served as an elector in multiple presidential elections and played a key role in party organization. “I’m 100 percent focused on passing Prop 50 — especially in the swing districts we need to win in CA to win the House — and think every Dem should be as well," Christine Pelosi told The San Francisco Chronicle in a text message when asked about the possibility of running for her mom's seat before the election this week. Over the years, Christine Pelosi has been outspoken on a range of political issues, often aligning with progressive causes. She has held leadership positions in the California Democratic Party and chaired the party’s Women’s Caucus. Her work frequently highlights gender equity, veterans' rights, and democratic reforms. In public commentary, she is known for a direct and candid communication style, often echoing her mother’s commitment to liberal policy goals but with her own strategic and activist lens. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump to Fox News: "The retirement of Nancy Pelosi is a great thing for America. She was evil, corrupt, and only focused on bad things for our country. She was rapidly losing control of her party, and it was never coming back. I'm very honored that she impeached me twice and failed miserably twice. Nancy Pelosi is a highly overrated politician." California Governor Gavin Newsom: "Nancy Pelosi has inspired generations. Her courage and conviction to San Francisco, California, and our nation has set the standard for what public service should be. Her impact on this nation is unmatched. Thank you, Madam Speaker." What Happens Next The California primary, when Pelosi's seat will be on the ballot, will be held on June 2, 2026. California has "jungle primaries," meaning the top two vote-getters move on to the general election, regardless of party. Given the dynamics of her San Francisco district, it's highly plausible that the top two candidates will be Democrats.
