CA Senator Scott Wiener Files Paperwork To Run For Rep. Pelosi’s Seat in 2028

California State Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) filed paperwork on Friday announcing his intent on running for Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) 11th District Congressional seat in 2028.

According to the filing, while he intends to run in 2028, Wiener can easily transfer campaign funds to 2026 if needed in case Pelosi decides not to run for re-election next year. Sen. Wiener made clear in a statement on Friday that both options are on the table, meaning either that Pelosi plans to retire by 2028, or that he will face her head on in a primary. His current Senate term, which began in 2024 following reelection, is set to end in 2028, making a move from the State Senate in Sacramento to Congress in Washington smooth without the need for a special election.

“I’ve been clear that I intend to run for this seat whenever the race opens up, whether in 2026 or 2028,” said Wiener in a statement. “This filing is a critical step to prepare for the serious work of running to succeed one of the icons of American politics.

“In a potential race against extremely wealthy candidates who can self-fund, I’ll have to work very hard to prepare to go toe to toe. I’ve dedicated my life to the people of San Francisco and our core values, and representing our great city in Congress — as we fight for our democracy, health care, housing, and basic civil rights — would be a deep honor.”

When mentioned that Pelosi has already filed for 2026, Wiener stayed on message and said that it would either be 2026 or 2028.

“I love what I’m doing in the State Senate, and we have a great member in Congress, Nancy Pelosi,” added Wiener. “I’ve been very clear that if and when, whenever the Speaker decides that its time to step aside that I’m prepared to run and represent the great city of San Francisco. But we’re not there at that point and I’m very focused on my work and Senate budget chair and trying to make life better for Californians.”

Wiener, who is originally from New Jersey, moved to San Francisco in 1997. He was an attorney until 2010, when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. As a Supervisor, Wiener quickly proved to be controversial through with many pet projects focusing on public transportation and housing. He was also known for backing an ordinance in 2016 that boycotted 30 states over LGBT issues, only for it to be repealed in 2023 after it was found that it was increasing costs in the city by 20%.

Wiener looks at a Congressional run

That year he was elected to the State Senate, beginning an even more controversial tenure. Amongst bills he put forward was the SB 50 dense housing bill, a bill aimed at giving cash rewards for meth addicts, a bill that would end single-family zoning in the state, and multiple bills attempting decriminalization of certain drugs. Some bills proved so controversial that fellow Democrats wouldn’t back them, with Governor Gavin Newsom vetoing many of his bills at signing time each year.

Despite his many controversies, San Francisco voters have elected him over and over again. In 2016 he  defeated fellow Democratic Board of Supervisors member Jane Kim 51%-49% for the Senate seat. In 2020, against another Democrat, he won with 57%. And in 2024, when facing off with a Republican, he garnered nearly 78% of the vote.

During this time, Wiener hasn’t made it a secret that he sees himself as Pelosi’s successor. In 2023, he even explored a possible run against Pelosi in the 2024 election, before pulling out. But with Pelosi 85 years old, and being 88 in 2028, Wiener opted to go with a strategic move and hedge his bets, setting up potential runs in the next few election cycles as his final Senate term winds down to 2028.

Currently, Wiener has around $900,000 in war chest funds for a 2026 or 2028 run. And while he may not face Nancy Pelosi, there are others currently in the mix. Saikat Chakrabarti, the former campaign manager and chief of staff for Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has already filed to run for the seat in 2026. Pelosi’s daughter, political consultant Christine Pelosi, has also been mentioned as a possible candidate. Should Wiener face them in a primary, victory would be by no means guaranteed, as Wiener has a history of close races when it comes to facing fellow Democrats.

Other candidates are likely to enter the race soon, as this would be the first time that the seat would be open for candidates since Pelosi first won the San Francisco-centric seat back in 1987.