San Francisco’s ready for change — but Pelosi’s successors aren’t
San Francisco is experiencing a shift in political optimism, yet the race to replace Nancy Pelosi reveals a lack of innovative ideas among candidates. The leading contenders, Scott Wiener, Connie Chan, and Saikat Chakrabarti, offer similar progressive platforms that do not address pressing local issues. Despite their differences in approach, all three candidates reflect the city's entrenched political culture.
- ▪San Francisco voters have successfully recalled radical local officials in recent years.
- ▪Scott Wiener leads in polls but is criticized for focusing on cultural issues rather than practical solutions.
- ▪Connie Chan, endorsed by Pelosi, emphasizes local governance while lacking clarity on national issues.
- ▪Saikat Chakrabarti, a wealthy socialist, aims to reform the Democratic Party but faces skepticism due to his background.
- ▪Marie Hurabiell, a former Republican, advocates for accountability but struggles in polling.
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Opinion San Francisco’s ready for change — but Pelosi’s successors aren’t By Richie Greenberg Published May 31, 2026, 9:50 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The California Post on Google San Francisco has been more optimistic in recent years, with Mayor Daniel Lurie adopting a more pragmatic approach, and voters staging successful recalls of the most radical and destructive local elected officials. But the race to replace retiring Rep. Nancy Pelosi shows that old habits are hard to break. Three viable candidates dominate, offering voters the thrilling illusion of choice, while delivering few new ideas on the issues that actually matter to everyday San Franciscans — continued sky-high costs, street drug use, punishing taxes, and ideological purity tests.
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