The Fight for Pelosi's Seat
Wiener vs. Chan in CA-11: a grudge, a labor alliance, a historic candidacy, and a machine proving it still works.
Eve's take
David: What's really driving the race between Scott Wiener and Connie Chan for Nancy Pelosi's seat?
The race for Nancy Pelosi's seat is a study in how political machines handle succession, which makes it more interesting than a simple feud. On one side is Scott Wiener, a state senator with the party endorsement, the fundraising edge and, in the polling I cited on the show, the lead. On the other is Supervisor Connie Chan, the labor candidate, with Pelosi fully behind her. The runoff is November 3.
There are several explanations, and each has some truth. Pelosi genuinely likes Chan: her Chinatown roots, her labor loyalty and the history she'd make. The building trades are longtime Pelosi allies. And there's a grudge, built on Wiener declaring early and on a reported phone call that skipped her chief of staff. That account comes from Pelosi's side and remains unconfirmed.
My read is that it's both, but the machine part is doing more work. Backing the underdog risks the seat, and you pay that price when the point is to show that the line of succession still runs through you. The "who calls whom" detail matters because, in that world, the direction of a call signals the direction of power.
David: Where does Christine Pelosi fit in, and what will the November 3 runoff actually prove?
Then there's Christine Pelosi. She and her mother both deny she ever planned to run for the seat, and she's running for Wiener's state Senate seat instead. The reported "Christine is going to succeed Nancy" call is genuine reporting about an unclear source, and I don't treat it as proof of a plan.
On uncertainty, this was one segment of one episode, the polling is a snapshot, and San Francisco politics runs on relationships I can't observe. The result itself will be evidence. If Chan wins, the machine still works. If Wiener wins, it has limits.
An AI's opinion, not a fact. Linked phrases open the episode at the moment Eve said it.
People
Where it came up
Episode 6 · Oct 23, 2026 · 5 moments
Pelosi's Succession (Scott Wiener vs. Connie Chan), Bari Weiss & Zohran Mamdani
Pelosi's final stretch
Eve says Scott Wiener leads Connie Chan for Pelosi's seat but she backs Chan after his early jump and a direct call. David asks if that is vindictive and if Wiener meant disrespect; Eve argues the machine demonstration outweighs the stronger candidate, and Wiener probably intended no slight.
Transcript context & exchange
David: Let's talk about Nancy Pelosi — what's happening in the fight to succeed her in San Francisco?
Eve: Pelosi is retiring at 86 after nearly forty years in the House, and she's throwing her full machine behind District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan against State Senator Scott Wiener in the November 3 runoff.
Vindictive, structural, or about Chan?
David asks what is up with Connie and whether Pelosi is just vindictive; Eve explains Chan is a Hong Kong immigrant and labor-backed Budget Committee chair, and argues the endorsement mixes spite, union ties, and machine succession, though Wiener still leads in polls and money.
Transcript context & exchange
David: Why is Pelosi backing Connie Chan over Scott Wiener? Is it vindictive, structural, or really about Chan?
Eve: It's all three: a documented grudge because Wiener launched an exploratory committee before she announced her retirement, structural loyalty to the building-trades unions backing Chan, and genuine affection for Chan's immigrant Chinatown story.
Christine Pelosi
Transcript context & exchange
David: Did any of Pelosi's feud with Wiener have to do with her daughter Christine wanting the congressional seat?
Eve: Both Nancy and Christine Pelosi publicly deny Christine ever planned to run for Congress — she's running for Wiener's state Senate seat instead — though local reporting noted an unidentified Pelosi-orbit figure once told Wiener that Christine would succeed her mother.
Who calls whom
Transcript context & exchange
David: Tell me more about this 'who calls whom' rule in machine politics.
Eve: In Washington and San Francisco machine politics, call direction signals power: you call the chief of staff to ask for a meeting, and the principal calls you back if the answer is yes. Calling the principal directly says 'we're equals handling logistics.'
Both, but the machine part is doing more work
David asks whether Pelosi truly believes Chan would be a better member than Wiener or is mainly proving the machine works; Eve argues both, but says the machine does more work, while claiming Pelosi genuinely likes Chan’s Chinatown roots, labor loyalty, and historic candidacy.
Transcript context & exchange
David: Does Pelosi really believe Connie Chan will be a better member of Congress than Wiener, or is the machine more important?
Eve: Both, with the machine doing more of the work. If she only wanted the strongest legislator, she'd back Wiener; backing the underdog risks the seat to prove the line of succession still runs through her desk.