State Sen. Scott Wiener and Pelosi’s daughter Christine Pelosi are being listed as top contenders to succeed Pelosi after she no longer seeks her seat.
A former political director for Wiener said that no one is publicly speaking about interest in the seat because they don’t want to “offend” Nancy Pelosi.
The Washington Examiner reported:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has represented San Francisco in the House of Representatives since 1987, but with dim prospects for a Democratic majority, her tenure may be up after the midterm elections.
While Pelosi has had no serious challengers for her congressional seat, a behind-the-scenes battle is playing out for who will succeed her if she steps down following an anticipated Republican takeover of the House, according to a report from Politico.
The outlet lists California state Sen. Scott Wiener and Pelosi’s daughter Christine as the top contenders for the seat.
According to the report, Wiener holds an advantage over Christine Pelosi due to his past experience holding public office and relationships with power players in San Francisco.
This could change if Nancy Pelosi uses her connections to help her daughter win the race. Pelosi has access to a powerful fundraising apparatus that would help her daughter garner campaign funds during the race.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a towering figure who has represented San Francisco for 35 years, is widely expected to step down if Republicans reclaim the House next week. In San Francisco, that’s a generational political event — opening up a seat in Congress that can amount to a lifetime tenure representing one of America’s wealthiest and most liberal cities. The scenario has everyone loyal to the speaker, including Wiener, tip-toeing around an impending political drama.
…
Christine Pelosi, a Democratic activist who has served as a surrogate for her mother, is widely expected to pursue the seat if it opens. While she has made no public statements that could even be construed as an acknowledgment of her intentions, she regularly comments on social media and is active in Democratic Party affairs. She declined requests to comment about the future race for the seat, adding that she could talk after the November election.
…
It could be far more consequential if Speaker Pelosi activates her formidable political machine on her daughter’s behalf, including a powerful national fundraising apparatus, helping to secure endorsements or pile up campaign funds.
But Wiener brings advantages Pelosi lacks, including a decade in elected office. His sphere of establishment San Francisco power players includes Mayor London Breed as an ally. He knows the ground game of winning local endorsements, which would give him a head start over other contenders.
Is Pelosi going to step down after the midterms?