Pelosi phone-banks for Connie Chan as Scott Wiener holds a polling lead in the race to succeed her

Top image: Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco in Congress since 1987 and is retiring. Photo: John Harrington (public domain) via Wikimedia Commons

By Rafael Quintero-Lind, Politics Reporter

The race to replace Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco is ending with the former speaker working personally for her chosen successor.

Pelosi endorsed Supervisor Connie Chan in May. In the final week she has been phone-banking for her, reaching about a dozen voters in an hour on one shift, according to The Bay Area Brief. A Pelosi aide is running Chan’s communications, and Pelosi has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the campaign, the Brief reported. She also made a surprise appearance at a Chan rally in North Beach on Saturday, Oct. 24.

Sen. Adam Schiff and former Sen. Barbara Boxer have also endorsed Chan.

The polls favor Wiener

Two October polls show State Sen. Scott Wiener ahead. A USC poll taken Oct. 16-19 had Wiener at 47% and Chan at 41%, with 9% undecided. When undecided voters were pushed to choose, it was 51% to 44%, according to the poll release. The same survey put Mayor Daniel Lurie’s approval at 63%. A RedBox poll taken Oct. 20-23 had Wiener at 45.6% and Chan at 37.6% (results; see also SFGATE).

The mayor on both sides’ mailers

Lurie has not endorsed, but his image shows up in mailers for both candidates, the Brief reported. Abundant Future PAC, backed by Chris Larsen, J.B. Pritzker and Michael Moritz, has sent mail calling Wiener and Lurie “partners for public safety.” Lurie spokesperson Max Szabo said, “Mayor Lurie has worked closely with both of them.” USF political scientist Patrick Murphy summed up the overlap between the two Democrats on many issues as “same-same,” the Brief reported.

Pelosi’s wider campaign

The race is only part of what Pelosi has been doing. The San Francisco Standard counted 85 Pelosi political events from June to late October, with about 80% of them outside San Francisco, the Brief reported.

The 11th District is one of several Bay Area House races this year between two Democrats. The Chronicle’s overview of those races and the delegation’s endorsements is here. Whoever wins on Tuesday will hold a seat Pelosi first won in 1987.