Connie Chan Concedes to Scott Wiener in Race for Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco Seat

San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan has conceded defeat to state Senator Scott Wiener in the race for California's 11th Congressional District, handing Wiener the seat held for four decades by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Chan announced her concession on Wednesday evening, November 4, 2026. With about 57 percent of the vote counted, Wiener led by roughly 19,000 votes, taking about 55 percent to Chan's 44 percent, according to Associated Press figures. The Associated Press still listed the race as "Too Early to Call" even after the concession, with ballots still being counted across the city.

Key Points

• Connie Chan conceded on Wednesday evening, November 4, 2026, to state Senator Scott Wiener in California's 11th Congressional District.
• With about 57 percent counted, Wiener led about 55 percent to 44 percent, or 97,876 votes to 78,594, a margin of roughly 19,000 votes.
• The seat covers all of San Francisco and is being vacated by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who held it for 40 years.
• Pelosi endorsed Chan in May 2026, and Senator Adam Schiff also backed her, while Wiener finished first in the June primary.
• The Associated Press still listed the race as "Too Early to Call" despite Chan's concession, with ballots still being counted.

What Happened

Chan's concession came on Wednesday evening, after a day in which returns steadily pointed toward a Wiener victory. In her statement, Chan was direct: "While we expect the margin to narrow significantly, we do not have a clear path to victory. I congratulate Scott Wiener on his election." The concession, reported by San Francisco station KTVU and national outlets, effectively settled the contest even though the formal count was far from complete.

Associated Press figures put the count at 97,876 votes for Wiener and 78,594 for Chan, out of more than 176,000 ballots tallied. Because California counts mail ballots arriving after Election Day, the margin was expected to tighten, but Chan concluded the remaining ballots could not plausibly erase a lead of that size. The Associated Press kept the race as "Too Early to Call", a reminder that a concession and a formal call are different things: concessions are political decisions by campaigns, while calls are statistical judgments by vote counters.

Background and Context

The race drew national attention because of the seat at stake. California's 11th Congressional District covers the whole of San Francisco, one of the most Democratic districts in the country, and it had been represented by Pelosi for 40 years. Pelosi announced in November 2025 that she would not seek re-election, opening the seat for the first time in a generation.

Both candidates were well known in the city, but they came from different wings of local politics. Chan, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, ran with the backing of the city's establishment figures. Pelosi endorsed her in May 2026, citing her decades of service in health care, education and labour, and Senator Adam Schiff also endorsed Chan. Wiener, who has served in the California Senate since 2016, finished first in the June primary.

Scott Wiener: From the State Senate to Congress

Wiener, who is openly gay, has served in the California Senate since 2016, representing San Francisco in Sacramento. His victory will send him to Washington as part of the new Congress that convenes in January 2027, when Democrats are preparing to take control of both chambers after their midterm victories. The San Francisco seat, safely Democratic, was never expected to change parties; the real contest was always the Democratic primary and the head-to-head fight between its two leading figures.

For Wiener, the win caps a decade of work in state politics and gives him a national platform. For San Francisco, it marks a generational handover: the city will be represented in the House by a new voice for the first time since the 1980s, after four decades in which Pelosi rose to Speaker of the House, twice, and became one of the most powerful figures in American politics.

Reactions and Quotes

Chan's concession statement struck a gracious note. "While we expect the margin to narrow significantly, we do not have a clear path to victory. I congratulate Scott Wiener on his election," she said. The statement acknowledged both the mathematics of the count and the outcome it pointed to, and avoided any suggestion of disputing the result.

The endorsements in the race underscored how much the contest mattered to the Democratic establishment. Pelosi's May endorsement of Chan carried particular weight, since the former Speaker had held the seat for 40 years. Schiff's endorsement added a second prominent voice behind Chan. In the end, neither was enough to overcome Wiener's advantage with voters.

Why It Matters

The result matters for three reasons. First, it closes the book on the Pelosi era in San Francisco: for 40 years the city's House seat was synonymous with one person, and the transition is a genuine changing of the guard. Second, it settles an argument within San Francisco's Democratic politics about which direction the city's voters want, an argument that played out in the primary and again in the general election.

Third, the race is a reminder of how California's vote-counting works. The state's slow count, driven by mail ballots, means races can remain formally uncalled for days even after the outcome is clear to the campaigns. Readers following the midterm results across the country and the high-profile Senate races will find the San Francisco outcome part of the same national picture.

What Happens Next

Vote counting in San Francisco will continue, and the Associated Press is expected to formally call the race for Wiener once the remaining ballots confirm a lead that cannot be overtaken. Wiener will prepare to take office when the new Congress convenes in January 2027, and House Democrats will hold their leadership election on November 18. For Chan, the concession ends a campaign that carried the endorsement of the city's most famous political figure but fell short by roughly 11 percentage points. She remains a San Francisco supervisor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the race for Nancy Pelosi's seat? State Senator Scott Wiener won after Supervisor Connie Chan conceded on Wednesday evening, November 4, 2026. Wiener led about 55 percent to 44 percent with about 57 percent of votes counted.

Why is the race still listed as "Too Early to Call"? The Associated Press had not formally called the race because ballots were still being counted. A concession is a campaign decision; a call is a statistical judgment by vote counters.

How long did Nancy Pelosi hold the seat? Pelosi held the San Francisco seat for 40 years. She announced in November 2025 that she would not seek re-election.

Who endorsed Connie Chan? Pelosi endorsed Chan in May 2026, citing her decades of service in health care, education and labour, and Senator Adam Schiff also endorsed her.

When will Scott Wiener take office? Wiener will take his seat when the new Congress convenes in January 2027, after House Democrats hold their leadership election on November 18.