Pelosi Endorses Chan in Race to Succeed Her

House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi endorsed San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan on Monday to succeed her in representing California's 11th Congressional District, according to multiple reports. Pelosi praised Chan as the candidate who 'stands above the rest' and is best prepared to carry forward the fight for San Francisco in Congress.

Pelosi, who announced her retirement last November after nearly 40 years in Congress, has been a prominent figure in both Congress and the Democratic Party. Her endorsement comes as early mail-in ballots are being cast ahead of the June 2 primary. According to The Guardian, Pelosi highlighted Chan's 'important lived experience' as an Asian American immigrant and mother.

Recent polls, including one from the San Francisco Chronicle, show state Sen. Scott Wiener leading the race by a wide margin. Chan and former software engineer Saikat Chakrabarti are in a statistical tie for second place, with former Republican Marie Hurabiell trailing significantly. Under California's primary system, the top two vote-getters will advance to the November general election regardless of party affiliation.

Chan expressed gratitude for Pelosi's endorsement, recalling her first visit to San Francisco at age 13 and her journey from Hong Kong immigrant to San Francisco Supervisor. She was elected to the city's Board of Supervisors in 2020 and represents District 1 covering neighborhoods in the northwestern part of the city.

Chan thanked Pelosi for her endorsement, highlighting her upbringing as an immigrant who arrived in the U.S. at age 13 without speaking any English. As reported by Fox News, Chan's top opponent in the primary is state Sen. Scott Wiener, who currently enjoys a sizeable fundraising lead of $2.6 million compared to Chan's $156,000 as of March.