Scott Wiener Wants Pelosi’s Seat—Here’s His Record

Scott Wiener wants to be the next Nancy Pelosi—and he’s making his case by running on a record of housing wins, tough-on-crime legislation, and being willing to buck his own party.

The Wall Street Journal has called him the “soft-spoken, 6-foot-7 ringleader of California’s Yimby movement” who “really, really wants to be the next Nancy Pelosi.” Now he’s officially in the race for CA-11, and he’s betting that his legislative record—not ideology—will carry him to Washington.

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California State Senator Scott Weiner is running for Congress in the state’s 11th District in 2026. The Voice welcomes submissions of unsolicited op-eds and letters to the editor. https://t.co/uepzSfLEZm

The Voice of San Francisco @TheVOSF January 05, 2026

The YIMBY Champion Goes to Washington

Wiener’s housing credentials are hard to dispute. He authored SB-423, the landmark housing streamlining bill that’s enabled new projects across California by cutting through the red tape that’s strangled development for decades. That legislation has already produced real results—projects that would have languished in permitting hell are actually getting built.

In a district where the affordability crisis remains top of mind for every voter, Wiener is betting that concrete wins matter more than promises. Housing costs have priced out working families, young professionals, and longtime residents. Having a proven track record of actually building more housing—rather than just talking about it—gives Wiener a differentiated pitch in what’s shaping up to be a crowded primary.

A Moderate Record on Public Safety

On crime, Wiener has positioned himself as the guy who shows up. According to his Voice of SF op-ed, he attended “almost every single SFPD academy graduation” during his time on the Board of Supervisors—usually the only elected official there.

He’s backed that up with legislation: SB 905 closed the absurd car break-in loophole, SB 276 created misdemeanor charges for selling stolen goods on the street, and SB 1045 expanded conservatorship tools for people cycling through streets, jails, and ERs without treatment.

In 2024, Wiener supported Prop E (the police technology measure) and opposed Prop B (the so-called “Cop Tax”). Since Prop E passed, San Francisco has seen a meaningful decline in car break-ins and overall crime citywide. Smart reforms paired with accountability actually work—who knew?

The Education Fighter

Before it was popular, Wiener was taking unpopular stances on education. He was the first elected leader in San Francisco to publicly support the 2022 Board of Education recall when the board majority was focused on renaming schools instead of educating kids.

That fight for algebra—a decade before the recent push finally succeeded—matters because these education battles aren’t over. Activists who fought against middle school algebra are still trying to run for school board. Having leaders who stood against the ideological capture of our schools when it cost them politically is exactly what San Francisco needs.

With Nancy Pelosi’s era ending, the CA-11 race will shape who represents San Francisco in Congress for potentially decades. Wiener is positioning himself as a pragmatic moderate who gets things done—expect more candidates to enter and a competitive primary ahead.

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