Nancy Pelosi endorses fellow progressive Connie Chan in high-profile race to succeed her

2026 ElectionNancy Pelosi endorses fellow progressive Connie Chan in high-profile race to succeed herChan’s competition includes state Sen. Scott Weiner and wealthy former tech executive Saikat Chakrabarti, a co-founder of the progressive group Justice Democrats.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced in November that she would not seek re-election.Daniel Heuer / Bloomberg via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 18, 2026, 10:12 PM EDTBy Scott WongAfter months of resisting endorsing a successor, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the former House speaker, officially threw her support behind a fellow progressive, San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Connie Chan, on Monday.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Voters in Pelosi’s liberal San Francisco district head to the polls in two weeks to select the top two candidates who will square off in the November general election.“I know and love this district. I know the Congress, and I know Connie,” Pelosi says in a short video, in which she is seated alongside Chan with the image of the Golden Gate Bridge behind them. “I’m proud to endorse Democrat Connie Chan and ask you to join me in electing her to Congress.”Pelosi’s endorsement carries significant weight in the race. She has represented San Francisco in Congress for nearly 40 years, she made history as the first female speaker of the House, and she is regarded as a liberal icon. She also is one of the party’s most successful fundraisers, and Chan is expected to benefit from her fundraising network.San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Connie Chan during a congressional candidates forum in San Francisco in January.Scott Strazzante / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty ImagesPelosi, 86, said in November that she would not run for re-election. Even before the formal announcement, two high-profile candidates had jumped into the race: state Sen. Sco...