SAN FRANCISCO — Christine Pelosi said Monday that she will run for a California state Senate seat, passing on a campaign for the House seat long held by her mother, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The younger Pelosi, an attorney and veteran party organizer, had long been considered a potential successor to her mother, who announced last week that she’s not running for another term in 2026. Nancy Pelosi’s impending retirement has set off a cascade of maneuvering here as Democrats seize on the rare opportunity of an open House seat in this blue bastion.
Christine Pelosi announced her run for the state Senate in a video posted on social media, casting her candidacy as furthering the Democratic resistance to Trump administration policies.
“I’m running to represent you, San Francisco, in Sacramento,” Pelosi said. “What do we do when our freedoms are under attack? We speak up, we fight back and we organize. Power for the people.”
Had she run for San Francisco’s seat in Congress, Christine Pelosi would have entered what’s likely to be a crowded and highly competitive field. Among those running are Scott Wiener, a prominent state lawmaker, and Saikat Chakrabarti, a wealthy former tech executive and progressive.
Other potential contenders for the seat include former San Francisco Mayor London Breed, city Supervisor Connie Chan, state Assemblymember Matt Haney and former Supervisor Jane Kim, director of the progressive California Working Families Party.
