State Sen. Scott Wiener couldn’t wait any longer. The once-in-a-generation political opening he’d eyed for years had arrived, he determined — whether or not the grand dame of San Francisco politics agreed or not.
On Wednesday, Wiener, 55, a prolific and bold lawmaker, formally introduced his candidacy for the San Francisco congressional seat held for almost 4 many years by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, 85, who stays one of many celebration’s strongest leaders and has but to disclose her personal intentions for the 2026 race.
“The world is altering, the Democratic Occasion is altering, and it’s time,” Wiener mentioned in an interview with The Instances. “I do know San Francisco, I’ve labored tirelessly to symbolize this group — delivering housing, well being care, clear vitality, LGBTQ and immigrant rights — and I’ve a fortitude and spine to have the ability to ship for San Francisco in Congress.”
Wiener’s announcement — — caught some political observers off guard, given Wiener had for years appeared resigned to run for Pelosi’s seat solely as soon as she stepped apart. Nevertheless it shocked few, given how squarely it match throughout the broader political second going through the Democratic Occasion.
In recent times, a has exploded into the political forefront as members of the celebration’s outdated guard have more and more been accused of holding on too lengthy, and to their celebration’s detriment.
Lengthy-serving liberal Supreme Courtroom Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ruffled many Democratic feathers by throughout Barack Obama’s presidency regardless of being in her 80s. She subsequently died on the age of 87 in 2020, handing President Trump his third appointment to the excessive courtroom.
Californians watched because the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, one other D.C. energy participant from San Francisco, teetered into frailty, in Washington after which . Your entire nation watched as President Biden, one other octogenarian, gave a that sparked unrelenting questions on his age and cognitive skills and cleared the best way for final yr.
Consequently, age has develop into an unavoidable stress level for Democrats heading into subsequent yr’s midterm elections.
It has additionally been a problem for Republicans, together with Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), 83, the previous Senate majority chief who has confronted well being points lately and is retiring in 2026 after greater than 40 years within the Senate. Different older Republicans are going through main challenges for being perceived as too conventional or insufficiently loyal to Trump or the MAGA motion — together with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), 73 and in workplace since 2002, and Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-La.), 68 and within the Senate since 2015.
For many years, many conservatives have referred to as for congressional time period limits in opposition to “profession politicians” who cling to energy for too lengthy. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, and David Trone, a Maryland Democrat, renewed these calls on Wednesday, saying in an that they might co-chair a nationwide marketing campaign to push for time period limits.
Nevertheless, maybe as a result of they’re in energy, the requires a generational shake-up in 2026 haven’t been almost as loud on the Republican aspect.
Democratic Occasion activists have sounded the alarm a couple of quickening slide into gerontocracy on the political left, blamed it for his or her celebration’s incapacity to mount an brisk and efficient response to Trump and his MAGA motion, and referred to as for youthful candidates to take the reins — whereas congressional leaders of their 70s and 80s have more and more begun weighing their choices within the face of main challenges.
“It’s truthful to say the political urge for food for octogenarians shouldn’t be excessive,” mentioned Eric Jaye, a veteran Democratic strategist in San Francisco.
“The selection in entrance of individuals isn’t just age,” mentioned Saikat Chakrabarti, a 39-year-old tech millionaire and Democratic political operative who can also be working for Pelosi’s seat. “We’d like a complete totally different method and totally different candidates.”
“There’s like this unstated rule that you simply don’t do what we’re doing on this second. You sit out and wait your flip,” mentioned Sacramento Metropolis Councilmember Mai Vang, 40, who has launched a main problem to Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento), who’s 81 and has been in Congress since 2005. “However I’m not going to attend on the sidelines, as a result of there may be an urgency of now.”
A nationwide pattern
The generational shift guarantees to reshape Congress by changing Democrats throughout the nation, together with some who’re leaving and not using a battle.
, 78 and a senator representing New Hampshire since 2009, mentioned in March that it was “time” to step apart.
In Illinois, , 80 and a senator since 1997, and , 81 and within the Home since 1999, each introduced in Could that they might not run once more. Durbin mentioned it was time “to go the torch,” whereas Schakowsky praised youthful “voices” within the celebration as “so sharp.”
of New York, 78 and within the Home since 1992, introduced his retirement final month, saying that “watching the Biden factor actually mentioned one thing in regards to the necessity for generational change within the celebration.”
Different older Democrats, in the meantime, have proven no intention of stepping apart, or are searching for out new roles in energy.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills, 77, just lately introduced she is working to problem Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who’s 72 and has been within the Senate since 1997. Mills has tried to melt issues about her age by promising to serve only one time period if elected.
Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, 79 and within the Senate since 2013, has stiffly rebuffed a main problem from Rep. Seth Moulton, 46, accusing Moulton of springing a problem on him amid a shutdown and whereas he’s busy resisting Trump’s agenda.
In Connecticut, Rep. John Larson, 77, who has been in workplace since 1999 and suffered a posh partial seizure on the Home ground in February, has mocked his main challengers’ message of generational change, , “Generational change is ok, however you’ve acquired to earn it.”
David Hogg, a 25-year-old liberal activist who was thrust into politics by the 2018 mass taking pictures at his Parkland, Fla., highschool, is among the many celebration’s youthful leaders pushing for brand new blood. He just lately declined to hunt reelection because the co-vice chair of the Democratic Nationwide Committee to carry main challenges to older Democratic incumbents along with his group Leaders We Deserve.
When he introduced that call in June, Hogg referred to as the concept Democratic leaders can keep in energy till they die even when they don’t do job an “existential menace to the way forward for this celebration and nation.” His group fundraises and disperses cash to younger candidates it backs.
When requested by The Instances about Pelosi and her main challengers, nevertheless, Hogg was circumspect, calling Pelosi “probably the most efficient and consequential leaders within the historical past of the Democratic Occasion.”
A shift in California
Pelosi shouldn’t be the one older California incumbent going through a main problem. Along with Matsui, the record additionally consists of Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Porter Ranch), who’s 70 and has been in workplace since 1997, and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena), who’s 74 and has been in workplace since 1999.
However Pelosi’s challenges have attracted extra consideration, maybe partially as a result of her departure from Congress could be the clearest signal but that the generational shift sought by youthful celebration activists is totally underway.
A trailblazer as the primary feminine speaker of the Home, Pelosi presided over two Trump impeachments. Whereas now not in management, she stays extremely influential as an arm-twister and strategist.
She performed a after his debate meltdown, and for the final couple months has been elevating huge cash — a particular ability of hers — in help of California’s Proposition 50. The measure seeks voter approval to redraw California’s congressional districts to higher favor Democrats in response to Trump’s strain marketing campaign on Texas and different pink states to redraw their traces in favor of Republicans.
Pelosi has used Prop. 50 in latest days to deflect questions on her main challengers and her plans for 2026, along with her spokesman Ian Krager saying she “is totally targeted” on the Prop 50 battle and will likely be by means of Nov. 4.
Chakrabarti, who helped Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) unseat a longtime Democratic incumbent in 2019, mentioned he sees much more “urge for food for change” among the many celebration’s base at this time — as evidenced by “mainstream Democrats who’ve voted for Nancy Pelosi their complete life” displaying as much as his occasions.
And it is sensible, he mentioned.
For many years, Individuals have watched the price of necessities skyrocket whereas their wages have remained comparatively flat, Chakrabarti mentioned, and that has made them determined to help messages of “daring, sweeping financial change” — whether or not from Obama or Trump — whilst long-serving, mainstream Democrats backed by company cash have labored to keep up the established order.
He mentioned it’s time for Democrats to as soon as once more push daring, huge concepts, which he plans to do — together with Medicare for all, common youngster care, free faculty tuition, thousands and thousands of recent items of inexpensive housing, a brand new economic system constructed round local weather motion, and better taxes on billionaires and mega-millionaires like him.
Wiener, who additionally backs Prop. 50 and could be the primary out homosexual individual to symbolize San Francisco in Congress, mentioned he can not communicate to Pelosi’s pondering — or to Wednesday that Pelosi is contemplating her choices and has been seen “publicly elevating” San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan within the race — however is assured in his readiness for the position.
Wiener agreed with Chakrabarti that huge concepts are wanted from Democrats to win again voters and make progress. He additionally mentioned that his observe file within the state Legislature exhibits that he has “been prepared to tackle very, very huge fights to make vital progressive change.”
“Nobody has ever accused me of pondering small,” he mentioned — citing his success in passing payments to create extra inexpensive housing, reform medical health insurance and drug pricing, deal with web neutrality, problem telecommunications and cable firms and shield LGBTQ+ and different minority communities and immigrants.
“Along with having the need to make huge progressive change, along with speaking about huge progressive change, you will have to have the ability to put collectively the coalitions to ship on that change, as a result of phrases will not be sufficient,” Wiener mentioned. “I’ve proven time and again that I understand how to do it, and that I can ship.”
Political analysts mentioned a message of massive concepts will clearly resonate with some voters. However additionally they mentioned that Pelosi, if she stays within the race, will likely be arduous to beat. She can even face extra critical questions than ever about her age and “her means to perform on the terribly excessive degree” she has labored at in years previous, Jaye mentioned, and can “must reply these questions.”
If Pelosi decides to not run, Chakrabarti has the advantage of self-funding and of the present celebration enthusiasm for recent faces, they mentioned, and anybody — Chan or in any other case — would profit from a Pelosi endorsement. However Wiener already has a powerful base within the district, a observe file for getting laws handed and, as a number of observers identified, a seemingly countless battery.
“Scott Wiener is an animal. The notion of work-life steadiness shouldn’t be an idea he has ever had. He is rather like a robotic working machine,” mentioned Aaron Peskin, who served 18 years on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, some alongside Wiener.
Amanda Litman, the president of Run for One thing, which helps younger progressive candidates, mentioned there may be pent-up demand for a brand new era of leaders, and “older Democrats, particularly these in Congress, have to ask themselves, ‘Am I the most effective individual to guide this celebration ahead proper now?’”
Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-Oakland), 48, gained her seat in 2024 after longtime Rep. Barbara Lee, 79, who had been within the seat since 1998, determined to run for Oakland mayor. Simon mentioned that to her, “it’s not essentially about birthdays” however who can do the job — “who can govern, who can mentor and who can maintain this administration accountable.”
As a longtime group activist who labored with youth, Simon mentioned she is “extraordinarily excited” by all of the vitality of younger Democratic workplace seekers. However as a freshman in Congress who has leaned on Lee, Pelosi and different mentors to assist her study the ropes, she mentioned it’s additionally clear Democrats have to “have some generals who’re actually, actually tried and examined.”
“What shouldn’t be useful to me on this second,” Simon mentioned, “is for the Democrats to be a round firing squad.”
