- By Ali Wunderman | Special to The Examiner
- Jan 8, 2026 (SFExaminer.com)
Some say San Francisco’s nightlife is lacking, but for those engaged in local politics, there is no shortage of things to do after dark.
The place to be Wednesday night was a packed auditorium in the basement of the UC Law San Francisco campus, where three candidates running for California’s 11th congressional district gathered, each one explaining why they were the right person to succeed Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
This wasn’t just a chance to hear from the candidates — state Sen. Scott Weiner; Saikat Chakrabarti, a former tech worker and chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York; and District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan — hoping to fill the considerably large shoes of one of the most accomplished legislators in American history.
It was also the first time such a forum had been assembled in San Francisco since Pelosi won a special election to the House of Representatives in 1987.
So it’s probably no surprise that a line began forming outside the building two hours prior to the event kicking off.
“It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” said Jace Ritchey, communications officer for the Harvey Milk LGBTQ+ Democratic Club, which hosted the event alongside the San Francisco Working Families Party and the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club.
Ritchey wasn’t the only one to feel that way. More than 2,000 people RSVPed to the event, with at least 650 people filling out the auditorium and nearby overflow space at Beer Hall, and more than 1,000 attendees watching live via Discord.
Guests still in line were turned away once the spaces reached capacity, but, “most were happy that it meant people care,” Ritchey said.
For the candidates, the bustling crowd reflected The City’s pastime of civic engagement.
“Those are my people,” Wiener laughed, reflecting on his own history of attending political events for fun. “San Francisco is potentially the most politically engaged city on the planet. They care about politics and government.”
Whether people like what he’s doing or not, Weiner says he appreciates that the community pays attention to what he’s working on in the state capitol.
Chakrabarti said he felt motivated by the turnout, saying it’s awesome that this is the moment we’re in right now.
“It inspires me about the stuff I’m pitching, which is a little bigger — saying we need systemic change, to have a political revolution,” he said.
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While politics are deeply intertwined with San Francisco’s social identity — I ran into a number of friends at the event — fun wasn’t the main goal of attending the historic forum.
“I’m here to listen,” said Kiki Lopez, a transgender-rights activist and advocate particularly keen on hearing the candidates’ respective plans for the transgender community, especially trans people of color.
For Bianca Polovina, president of IFPTE Local 21, the forum was a chance to support Chan, Polovina’s preferred candidate.
“I live out in the Richmond district, and I feel like she’s the candidate that’s right for us in this moment,” Polovina said, emphasizing how critical this election is for protecting The City’s values. “I’m looking for a fighter for San Francisco, someone who’s going to stand up for regular working people who are living paycheck to paycheck.”
On stage, the forum proceeded without too many surprises, a couple of light jabs thrown here and there, and about 75% of the audience sticking around until the end of the two-hour discussion.
Questions revolved largely around issues specific to San Francisco, such as fighting for LGBTQ rights and why President Donald Trump is so very impeachable. There wasn’t much disagreement or challenge to be found — no asking Chakrabarti about wanting to take on the ultra-rich while himself being worth nearly $200 million; no questioning Supervisor Chan’s past behavior towards constituents giving public comment.
Were I at the front of the room, I would have inquired less about their ideologies that most San Franciscans already share, and delved more into how they plan to bring those grand ideas to life — the way Pelosi did throughout her career.
For example:
• How do you plan to reach across the aisle in Washington D.C. and work with Republicans to protect San Francisco values?
• Describe a time when you did something politically risky or unpopular — like publicly disagreeing with the mayor.
• How will you unite San Franciscans warring over nuances in shared ideology so we can instead fight the totalitarian coup that is currently underway?
From where I was sitting, there was no clear winner, but there were some solid takeaways: Weiner’s bonafides and ability to pass legislation are unmatched; Supervisor Chan is ready to fight at the highest level; newcomer Chakrabarti is a serious contender for the role.
Still, the real headline of the night wasn’t any single answer; it was the crowd itself. If this forum was a preview of the race ahead, it suggests that whoever replaces Pelosi won’t just inherit a powerful seat — they’ll inherit a city that expects to be taken seriously and is ready to show up to ensure that happens.
