Progressive California state Sen. Scott Wiener defeated San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan in the race to succeed Nancy Pelosi, becoming the city’s first openly gay congressman after a closely watched contest between two Democrats.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
SAN FRANCISCO — California state Sen. Scott Wiener won the race to succeed retiring former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in California’s 11th Congressional District after Democratic opponent Connie Chan conceded Wednesday, Nov. 4, ending a closely watched contest over the political future of San Francisco.
Wiener’s victory comes despite Pelosi’s endorsement of Chan, a San Francisco supervisor who campaigned on affordable housing, tenant protections and stronger oversight of corporations.
According to CBS News’ election coverage, Chan acknowledged Wednesday that the remaining uncounted ballots were unlikely to reverse Wiener’s lead.
“After reviewing the results and the ballots remaining to be counted, while we expect the margin to narrow significantly, we do not have a clear path to victory,” Chan said. “I congratulate Scott Wiener on his election and wish him success in serving San Francisco.”
Preliminary election returns updated Thursday showed Wiener receiving approximately 54.6% of the vote compared with Chan’s 45.4%, with more than 218,000 ballots counted. The results remain subject to final canvassing and certification.
The election marks the first time since 1987 that San Francisco voters have selected a new representative for the congressional seat held by Pelosi, who announced her retirement after nearly four decades in Washington.
Pelosi, the first woman elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, supported Chan despite her longstanding political relationship with Wiener.
Her endorsement became a defining feature of the campaign, dividing prominent Democrats and local political organizations over the direction of the party.
Following Chan’s concession, Pelosi congratulated Wiener and offered assistance with the transition.
“I congratulate Scott Wiener on his election to the Congress. Representing San Francisco is an extraordinary honor and a profound responsibility. My office stands ready to assist in the transition, and I wish him success in service for the people of our City,” Pelosi said in her official statement released Nov. 4.
Wiener thanked Pelosi and acknowledged the historical significance of the congressional seat.
“I’m humbled to carry forward the powerful legacy of this seat – Phil Burton, Sala Burton, and the greatest Speaker in modern American history, Nancy Pelosi,” Wiener said.
“Speaker Pelosi came to Congress to fight AIDS when too many wanted to look away, and she never stopped fighting for our city and our country. Madame Speaker, thank you.”
Wiener, 56, has represented San Francisco in the California Senate since 2016. He previously served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2011 to 2016.
During his legislative career, he became a prominent advocate for expanding housing construction, strengthening protections for LGBTQ residents and regulating emerging technologies.
His record includes legislation intended to increase residential development near public transportation, reduce restrictions on housing construction and expand access to HIV prevention medications.
Wiener has also supported California legislation addressing artificial intelligence safety and accountability, an issue that became increasingly important during the congressional campaign.
His positions on transgender rights, gender-related medical care and school policies have attracted opposition from conservative organizations and Republican lawmakers.
In 2024, Wiener authored legislation restricting school districts from requiring employees to notify parents when students change their gender identity or gender expression. The measure became a significant source of controversy over parental rights and student privacy.
Supporters argued that the law protected vulnerable students from involuntary disclosure of personal information, while critics maintained that it interfered with parents’ involvement in their children’s education.
Wiener’s legislative record also includes measures addressing housing density, public transportation funding and protections for transgender individuals seeking medical care.
His positions distinguish him from more moderate Democrats, although the contest against Chan involved disagreements between two candidates broadly associated with San Francisco’s progressive political establishment.
Chan, who represents the Richmond District on the Board of Supervisors, emphasized stronger tenant protections, affordable housing requirements and limits on corporate influence.
She criticized aspects of Wiener’s housing policies, arguing that increased market-rate development would not adequately address affordability for lower-income residents.
Wiener countered that restrictions on new construction had contributed to San Francisco’s housing shortage and argued that increasing supply was necessary to reduce costs.
According to the San Francisco Standard’s election reporting, the candidates also differed over public transportation projects and the relationship between housing development and neighborhood planning.
Chan received significant backing from organized labor and progressive groups, while Wiener attracted support from housing advocates and other Democratic organizations.
The election also featured disagreements over federal policy, including U.S. military assistance to Israel and the role of government in regulating artificial intelligence.
Wiener has supported expanding federal health care access, investing in clean energy and public transportation, and strengthening immigration protections.
In his victory statement, he outlined several priorities for his upcoming congressional term.
“San Franciscans voted for results, and we have so much work ahead: Building the millions of homes we need; moving toward true universal health care; investing in clean energy, public transit, and high-speed rail; standing up for science, education, and immigrants; making sure people – not massive corporations – decide what works for this country, including on AI; and ensuring the rule of law applies to everyone, including the President,” Wiener said.
The incoming congressman will also make history as the first openly gay man elected to represent San Francisco in Congress.
Wiener previously became one of California’s most prominent openly gay state legislators and has advocated extensively for LGBTQ-related legislation.
His congressional victory comes amid broader Democratic gains in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, which have placed the party in position to exercise greater authority over federal legislation and oversight of President Donald Trump’s administration.
The 11th Congressional District encompasses most of San Francisco and has remained a reliably Democratic constituency for decades.
Under California’s top-two election system, Wiener and Chan advanced from the June primary despite belonging to the same political party.
The general election therefore centered on competing Democratic approaches to housing, economic policy and federal governance rather than a conventional Republican-Democratic contest.
Although the final ballot count is not complete, Chan’s concession and Pelosi’s acknowledgment of Wiener’s victory have effectively settled the race.
Wiener is expected to take office in January 2027 as a member of the 120th Congress, succeeding Pelosi in one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent congressional seats.
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