Scott Wiener claims victory for seat once held by Pelosi — Jerusalem Post
California state Senator Scott Wiener declared victory in the election to the U.S. House of Representatives in San Francisco, where he competed against city Board of Supervisors member Connie Chan for the seat vacated by Nancy Pelosi. As reported by The Jerusalem Post, according to the Associated Press, on Wednesday Wiener had 55.5% of the vote versus Chan's 44.5% after 57% of ballots were counted.
Victory declaration
Wiener wrote on social media platform X that it was an honor for him to continue the legacy of this seat. He thanked Pelosi for her work on behalf of San Francisco and the United States, specifically mentioning her fight against the AIDS epidemic early in her congressional career.
The politician, who openly speaks about belonging to the LGBTQ community, called the result historic. According to him, he will become the first openly LGBTQ representative to represent Northern California and San Francisco in Congress. Wiener named affordable housing, universal healthcare and clean energy among his priorities.
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Positions on Israel
The issue of Israel was one of the prominent topics in the campaign: both candidates accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Wiener, who describes himself as a “left-wing Jew,” opposes the sale of offensive weapons to an Israeli government not committed to a peaceful settlement, but supports the supply of defensive systems.
Chan supports a full arms embargo and says Palestinian refugees should be granted the right to return to territories within sovereign Israel. Wiener's statements about genocide drew criticism from major Jewish institutions and cost him a leadership position in the state legislature's Jewish caucus.
Wiener was backed by the liberal pro-Israel organization J Street, which announced a $60,000 advertising campaign supporting him during the primaries. Chan received support from Jewish Voice for Peace, the local chapter of IfNotNow, and Nancy Pelosi.
