With rumors she plans to step down if a red wave hits Congress in Tuesday’s midterms, plans have already begun to succeed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in her San Francisco district.
Pelosi, who has served in Congress since 1987 and on two occasions as Speaker, is currently helping her husband recover from a home invasion and attack last week while trying to help her party avoid devastating losses next week.
A story published Friday suggested that if Democrats suffer the expected losses in the midterms, Pelosi will step down, leaving an open seat left by one of the most powerful figures in American politics.
Multiple local politicians appear to be setting up for a potential run at her heavily left-leaning district in 2024, which President Joe Biden won in 2020 by over 70 points.
One of the people who could be running for the seat: Pelosi’s daughter Christine, an activist, ex-assistant district attorney and former Congressional chief of staff who worked in the Clinton White House.
With rumors she plans to step down if a red wave hits Congress in Tuesday’s midterms, plans have already begun to succeed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in her San Francisco district
One of the people who could be running for the seat: Pelosi’s daughter Christine, an activist, ex-assistant district attorney and former Congressional chief of staff who worked in the Clinton White House
Christine Pelosi and Nancy Pelosi seen at an event in Philadelphia in 2008
According to a Politico story, many see Pelosi, 56, as the favorite to replace her mother should she throw her name in, with the potential backing of the party apparatus.
However, at least one other candidate may try to outflank the liberal on both her left and right: State Senator Scott Weiner.
Weiner, 52, represents San Francisco in the state senate and would be the first openly gay member of Congress to represent the city.
Politico claims that while Weiner – along with the rest of the city’s political establishment – does not want to upset Speaker Pelosi, he would have much of the city’s LGBTQ community and San Francisco Mayor London Breed as an ally.
However, while considered to the left on many issues, he is seen as moderate by some, including San Francisco Labor Council Executive Director Kim Tavaglione, who said Weiner ‘would really have to change his views on housing’ to get their endorsement.
State Senator Scott Weiner, 52, represents San Francisco in the state senate and would be the first openly gay member of Congress to represent the city
However, while considered to the left on many issues, he is seen as moderate by some, including San Francisco Labor Council Executive Director Kim Tavaglione (pictured), who said Weiner ‘would really have to change his views on housing’ to get their endorsement
Pelosi’s advantages are seen as being connections within the party, ties to Dems in Washington and the possibility of having her mother’s considerable fundraising behind her.
Jane Kim, a former supervisor who lines up more with Bernie Sanders’ Democratic Socialism, has said she won’t rule out a challenge for the seat as well.
Ultimately, the presence of Speaker Pelosi appears to have many San Francisco Dems on eggshells.
Todd David, a former political director for Wiener, said: ‘From a pure practical, political point of view, no one wants to offend Nancy Pelosi.’
However, it’s clear from the story and Dem consultant Max Szabo that the battle is already underway.
Szabo said: ‘Given the fact that these positions don’t have term limits, and given the ATM that is San Francisco, this is going to be a brawl. No one is going to leave anything on the field.’
Weiner – along with the rest of the city’s political establishment – does not want to upset Speaker Pelosi, he would have much of the city’s LGBTQ community and San Francisco Mayor London Breed as an ally
San Francisco Mayor London Breed could be a key ally to Weiner if he were to run for Congress
Jane Kim, a former supervisor who lines up more with Bernie Sanders’ Democratic Socialism, has said she won’t rule out a challenge for the seat as well
Speaker Pelosi gave her first public comments after her husband Paul left the hospital, as he still recovers from an attack by an intruder at the couple’s San Francisco home last week.
Via Zoom, Pelosi spoke on a Democrat Party fundraiser Friday called ‘Strengthening Our Democracy’ and addressed her husband’s condition.
She said: ‘Paul came home yesterday. That enables me to be at home with all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for kind words, your prayers and your good wishes for Paul.’
Pelosi added: ‘It’s going to be a long haul, but he will be well. And, it’s just so tragic how it happened, but nonetheless, we have to be optimistic. He’s surround by family, so that’s a wonderful thing.’
The House Speaker also referenced her husband’s condition in a state of the race fundraising email sent out Friday evening in which she expressed similar feelings.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi gave her first public comments after her husband Paul left the hospital, as he still recovers from an attack by an intruder to their house last week
She said: ‘Paul came home yesterday. That enables me to be at home with all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for kind words, your prayers and your good wishes for Paul.’
Pelosi came home Friday after a week in the hospital following an attack by intruder Paul DePape
The incident, just days before the November elections, has renewed calls in Congress to beef up security in light of a growing threats against lawmakers.
Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat who is second in the line of succession to the presidency, was in Washington at the time.
U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said in a weekend memo to lawmakers that the attack ‘is a somber reminder of the threats elected officials and families face in 2022.’
In a speech Wednesday, US President Joe Biden linked the attack to the political violence unleashed by ex-president Donald Trump’s supporters against Congress on January 6, 2021.
Republicans, he said, have ’emboldened violence and intimidation of voters and election officials.’
‘That is the path to chaos in America,’ he said.