State Sen. Scott Wiener announced his plans for San Francisco’s congressional seat.
California state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat, launched a campaign on Wednesday to unseat U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the former speaker of the U.S. House.
“I’ll fight day and night for our city—against Trump’s takeover, for our values, and for real progress,” Wiener stated in his social media announcement.
Pelosi has held the seat for nearly 40 years and is still widely considered a top party leader for the Democrats.
Wiener is considered part of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, holding more extreme views on social issues than Pelosi, who is considered a member of the party’s old guard.
Pelosi, 85, filed paperwork last year to run for her 19th term in 2026.
When asked about Pelosi’s reaction to Wiener’s announcement, her spokesman, Ian Krager, said she is focused on her work.
“Speaker Pelosi is fully focused on her mission to win the Yes on [Prop] 50 special election in California on November 4th,” Krager told The Epoch Times in an email. “She urges all Californians to join in that mission on the path to taking back the House for Democrats.”
While in office, Pelosi has overseen the passage of historic legislation, including Obamacare, stimulus bills, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and COVID relief. She also served two terms as House speaker, the first woman to hold the office.
Wiener was first elected as a state senator in 2016 and has focused on housing, transportation, civil rights, and clean energy. Before that, he served on San Francisco’s board of supervisors and as chair of San Francisco County’s transportation authority.
The state senator has sparked controversy in the past over some of his legislation, including his push to legalize psychedelic drugs and allow public drug sites.
Most recently, Wiener authored a bill to ban masks for federal immigration officers in California. The bill was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Federal officials have stated the law does not apply to them, however.
He and Newsom have agreed on most issues, but Wiener has also publicly criticized the governor in the past. In March, Wiener criticized Newsom after the governor agreed with late conservative commentator Charlie Kirk during an interview on March 6, six months before Kirk was assassinated.
