California State Sen. Scott Wiener is projected to advance in the race to replace longtime Rep. Nancy Pelosi after winning California’s 11th Congressional District primary late Tuesday, as reported by The Post Millennial.
Decision Desk HQ called the San Francisco primary for Wiener on Tuesday evening. Early returns showed Wiener leading the field with more than 43 percent of the vote. Connie Chan, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors who was backed by Pelosi, was holding second place with 28.1 percent.
Progressive activist Saikat Chakrabarti, a former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, trailed behind as candidates competed for the second spot in the November general election.
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Under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
Wiener declared victory before supporters near San Francisco’s Castro District.
Decision Desk HQ projects Scott Wiener wins the CA US House 11 Primary#DecisionMade: 11:31 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/LrWyZDU3Kf
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 3, 2026
“The people of San Francisco sent a very clear message … San Franciscans are ready for bold, forward-looking leadership, for real results,” Wiener said at an election night party near the Castro neighborhood.
The race drew national attention after Pelosi announced her retirement following decades of representing San Francisco in Congress. Wiener had long been viewed as a potential successor to the former House speaker, but Pelosi declined to endorse him.
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Instead, Pelosi backed Chan, creating a split between one of the Democratic Party’s most powerful figures and one of California’s most prominent state lawmakers.
Pelosi’s endorsement was not enough to put Chan at the top of the field in early returns.
Wiener has built a national profile in California politics through several high-profile and controversial measures. He authored legislation making California a sanctuary state for minors seeking gender-altering medical treatments. The law limits cooperation with out-of-state investigations and warrants tied to procedures that are legal in California.
Wiener described the measure at the time as making California a:
“state of refuge for trans kids and their families.”
He also co-authored legislation that would have required judges in child custody disputes to consider whether a parent affirmed a child’s gender identity. Gov. Gavin Newsom later vetoed that bill.
Other proposals associated with Wiener included legislation allowing trans-identifying male inmates to request placement in women’s prisons. He also opposed policies requiring schools to notify parents when a child adopts a different gender identity at school.
Wiener has also proposed drag queen classes as part of grade school education and authored a bill that would provide exemptions from the sex offender registry.
Wiener has faced scrutiny over his support for San Francisco’s annual Folsom Street Fair, a public fetish festival known for sexually explicit displays and activities.
With Wiener projected to move forward, the focus now turns to which candidate will join him on the November ballot. Chan was holding second place when Wiener was projected as the winner.
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