In Bid to Succeed Pelosi, San Francisco House Candidates Set to Debate

Three leading candidates running to represent San Francisco in the U.S. House of Representatives will spar Tuesday night in a debate at the Sydney Goldstein Theater.

Former congressional aide Saikat Chakrabarti, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan and state Sen. Scott Wiener will have an opportunity to share their positions on immigration, health care and foreign policy in a debate co-sponsored by KQED, City Arts & Lectures, the Commonwealth Club World Affairs and Manny’s.

The trio of candidates, all Democrats, has emerged as the top contenders vying to succeed Rep. Nancy Pelosi. The 86-year-old Democrat and former House Speaker is not seeking re-election after holding the seat since 1987. While Wiener, Chan and Chakrabarti would all be considered liberals in Congress, their differences on policy and posture reveal the divisions between Democrats in deep-blue San Francisco.

Wiener, a former San Francisco supervisor who has represented the city in the state Senate since 2017, was an early champion of the YIMBY – or “Yes In My Backyard” – movement, authoring a series of landmark housing laws to promote development. Wiener’s campaign has the backing of the California Democratic Party and from many of the city’s more moderate elected officials.

Chan has represented the Richmond District on the Board of Supervisors since 2021. As chair of the board’s budget committee, she secured funding for legal aid to help immigrants facing deportation. In her run for Congress, Chan has won the support of fellow progressives on the board, as well as U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff. She also has the backing of influential labor groups, including the city’s Building and Construction Trades Council.

Chakrabarti is a former software developer who served as chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, helping craft the climate and jobs legislation known as the Green New Deal. He entered the race to challenge Pelosi — arguing for generational change in the city’s congressional representation before she announced her retirement.

Chakrabarti’s personal wealth has amplified that message. He has contributed more than $1.4 million to his own campaign, allowing him to keep pace with Wiener, who has raised money for a potential congressional run for years, and ended 2025 with more than $2.7 million, according to campaign finance filings. Chan entered the race in November, leaving her with comparatively less, around $174,000, reported before the end of the year.

Tuesday’s debate will offer the candidates their best opportunity yet to draw contrasts ahead of the June primary.

One area to watch is housing: Wiener supported San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s recent upzoning plan, known as Family Zoning, while Chan voted against it.

Previous debates have already brought fireworks to the race. At a candidate forum in January, Chan and Chakrabarti held up “yes” signs indicating they believe Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, while Wiener did not answer the question. The interaction went viral and days later, Wiener changed course and posted a video on his social media saying Israeli attacks “qualifies as genocide.” He later resigned as co-chair of the state’s Legislative Jewish Caucus.

Voting in the congressional race begins in early May. The top two finishers in the June primary, regardless of party, will advance to the general election. There are eight other candidates on the ballot, including attorney Marie Hurabiell and technology advocate Omed Hamid — both Democrats — along with Republicans David Ganezer, the publisher of a Santa Monica newspaper, and Jingchao Xiong, a social management scientist and former state senate candidate.