Calif. Rep. Nancy Pelosi just announced she will not seek reelection, marking the end of a nearly 40-year era in the Democratic party. Pelosi’s absence marks yet another major change going down inside the Democratic party, but now, a new wave of young poltiicians are looking to capitalize big time.
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Already two California politicians have announced their plans to replace Pelosi ahead of the next election. But they’ll have some major competition considering the many Democratic leaders in the state who are just itching to repair their party after President Donald Trump’s second term. With Pelosi adding to the long list of leaders retiring or stepping down from their roles, here are the folks that could replace her.
Former Mayor London Breed
Former Mayor of San Fransisco London Breed is gearing up to potentially campaign for Pelosi’s seat. The politician lost a bid for reelection in 2024 to Mayor Daniel Lurie, but it seems she’s keeping all of her options open. “I called a couple of people [including respected former mayor Willie Brown] just to see what their thoughts were. My text messages and phone have been ringing off the hook from a lot of people in San Francisco,” she said. “It’s important that San Franciscans have options. I want to explore whether I could potentially be one of those options.”
Sen. Scott Wiener
Weeks before Pelosi even announced her decision, Calif. Sen. Scott Wiener already had his eye on her seat. He announced in October that he is planning to run for the Congress seat and some Democrats have announced plans to endorse him. Across the board, Wiener has faced much scrutiny from the GOP because he is an avid supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and he opposes Israel’s war with Hamas. Calif. Democrats love him because of his progressive legislation as a openly gay and Jewish-American.
Saikat Chakrabarti
Another front runner for Pelosi’s position is Saikat Chakrabarti, 39, who previously served as a former chief of staff for Rep. Alexandria “AOC” Ocasio-Cortez. Chakrabarti beat Wiener to the punch, announcing his bid for Pelosi’s seat back in February. “I respect what Nancy Pelosi has accomplished in her career, but we are living in a totally different America than the one she knew when she entered politics 45 years ago,” Chakrabarti said in a statement. The Hill reported that Chakrabarti was one of the many younger politicians who are campaigning to replace older Congress members after former President Joe Biden’s short-lived reelection bid.
Connie Chan
Of the most similar to Pelosi stands San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan. Not only does she have a reputation as a strong progressive, but Chan “is closely aligned with the city’s powerful labor movement,” POLITICO reported. She also told reporters she would consider running for Pelosi’s seat only if she retired.
Kamala Harris
We know what you’re all thinking: “Why would former Vice President Kamala Harris run to replace Pelosi?” And the answer is simple… Because according to her, she’s “not done.” Harris is no stranger to California politics. She previously served as the Attorney General and a long stint in the Senate. Now, with Pelosi gone, Harris could possibly return to her roots as a respected and popular Democratic voice in her state.
Jane Kim
Jane Kim, a former San Francisco supervisor and the current California Director for the Working Families Party, is another name that voters might see on the ballot. In 2022, she denied ruling out running for Pelosi’s seat, the New York Times reported. And as recently as July of this year, she expressed her frustrations which the current state of the Democratic party.
“The electorate has changed a lot in the last 20 years in San Francisco,” she said. “We’ve lost the middle class. It has become a city of the rich and poor. That makes electioneering much more difficult for progressive candidates.” If elected, Kim would become the first Korean-American woman in her party to serve in Congress.
Gavin Newsom
Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom might not be the best pick to replace Pelosi, but if he really wanted her spot, there’s no doubt he’d have enough support. The two-term governor and former San Fransisco mayor will be at the end of his current gubernatorial term just in time for Pelosi’s retirement in 2027. We previously told you Newsom has been silently eyeing a presidential bid come 2028… but in case the Democratic party finds a different candidate to back, Newsom certainly has options.
Rob Bonta
Calif. Attorney General Rob Bonta said he will endorse Scott Wiener to succeed Pelosi, POLITICO reported. But given his own track-record and popularity in the state, Bonta could indeed switch the script and run himself. He’s lead numerous legal campaigns against President Trump sending in the National Guard, and he’s also solidified himself as strong environmental justice advocate.
Bianca Von Krieg
In 2022, actress Bianca Von Krieg ran against Pelosi in the Democratic primaries. Von Krieg would’ve become the state’s first transgender member of Congress. She told the Bay Area Reporter she ran against the incumbent because change was needed. “It is time we had someone commensurate with the demographics of this city. We live in a broadband world,” she said. “Let’s retire the dial-up derelicts from our politics.”
Shahid Buttar
In 2020, he ran against Pelosi and got farther than most expected. Buttar received almost 13 percent of California voters in the 2020 and 2022 primary and faced off with the Democratic incumbent in the 2020 general elections. Although he lost to Pelosi then, Buttar is still a known advocate in the state. Insiders believe he might try to make a comeback since Pelosi is officially off the ballot.
Xavier Becerra
With Gov. Newsom’s term ending in 2027, the California gubernatorial race is getting mighty crowded. Former Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra is among the long list of gubernatorial candidates. Still, he has the potential to be a candidate for the House. Becerra, the first Latino man to serve in his position, is a strong opponent to President Trump and has campaigned on affordability, which many Californians say is a key issue ahead of the elections.
Christine Pelosi
Before Pelosi’s daughter, San Francisco Supervisor Christine Pelosi, announced she wouldn’t seek her mother’s Congress seat on Monday (Nov. 10), the younger Pelosi was one of the many names whispered as a possible candidate. According to her DNC campaign website, Christine is a “voice for women’s rights, grassroots politics, electing Democrats & defending our Democracy.” At 59 years old, she legacy Democrat has reputation for advocating for women’s empowerment, voting rights, campaign finance reform and even raising the minimum wage– all platforms which Californians historically support.
Cheyenne Hunt
In 2024, Cheyenne Hunt ran for the House, hoping to be one of the first Gen-Z members in Congress. The Syrian-American lost during the Democratic primary, but she still made a lasting impression on voters. With Pelosi’s spot open, Hunt could make a return to politics that might work in her favor.
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