Rep. Nancy Pelosi Endorses Candidate To Replace Her In Congress

After 40 years in Congress, Rep. Nancy Pelosi is finally passing on the baton.

In November of last year, Representative Nancy Pelosi announced she would be retiring from Congress.

Shortly after Pelosi made the announcement, several Democrats began jockeying for her endorsement.

Now, Pelosi has finally announced who she will endorse as her replacement, and it’s San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan.

The New York Times provided more details on Pelosi’s endorsement and gave some information on who Connie Chan is:

Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as speaker of the House, on Monday threw her significant clout behind a woman in the race to succeed her: Connie Chan, a member of the San Francisco board of supervisors.

Ms. Pelosi, who last fall announced she would not seek another term in Congress, had previously stayed quiet on the contentious race to replace her.

Ms. Pelosi released a snippet of a video that will be distributed in full on Tuesday in which she sits with Ms. Chan, a fellow Democrat, in front of an image of the Golden Gate Bridge.

“I know and love this district,” Ms. Pelosi says into the camera, patting a beaming Ms. Chan on the back. “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.”

Ms. Chan is running in the June 2 primary, and is seen as a leading contender in a field of candidates that includes Scott Wiener, a Democratic state senator known for pushing for the development of far more housing and for advancing gay and transgender rights.

Ms. Pelosi, 86, has represented San Francisco since 1987 — when Ms. Chan, 47, was nine years old. Ms. Pelosi became one of the most powerful women in American political history, pushing the Affordable Care Act and climate change legislation through Congress and serving as a persistent antagonist to President Trump.

Here’s the moment Pelosi made her endorsement:

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

CBS News reported more on California’s 11th Congressional District race:

Days before Chan’s announcement, a San Francisco Chronicle poll showed California state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) leading the race by a wide margin, with Chan and former software engineer Saikat Chakrabarti (D) in a statistical tie for second place. Former Republican Marie Hurabiell (D) was a distant fourth place, while 13% of voters said they would choose another candidate.

The top two vote-getters in California’s open primary system advance to the November general election, regardless of party.

Chakrabarti and Wiener both declared their candidacy for California’s 11th District before Pelosi had indicated whether she would seek reelection. Two weeks after Pelosi announced her retirement, Chan announced her candidacy, while Hurabiell, a former Trump appointee to the Presidio Trust, declared her intention to run in February.

As Nancy Pelosi heads out the door, the real question is whether her successor will have the same radical policies as the longtime congresswoman.

What are your thoughts?