Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California is on a collision course with her own party. After nearly four decades in office and at age 85, the former House Speaker is now expected to face a serious primary challenge from within the Democratic ranks as she weighs whether to seek a 21st term in Congress.
According to a report from Politico, California State Senator Scott Wiener is preparing to formally announce a run for Pelosi’s San Francisco based House seat. Wiener had previously said he would only run if Pelosi retired, but insiders say he and other would-be candidates are losing patience as Pelosi refuses to announce her plans.
Wiener is not the first Democrat to jump in. Pelosi has already drawn a challenge from Saikat Chakrabarti, the former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and a prominent figure in the progressive movement. Both men are attempting to force a generational and ideological reset inside one of the most reliably blue districts in the nation.
The prospect of Wiener running is already causing a stir. He is one of the most controversial and far-left lawmakers in Sacramento and has built a national profile for sponsoring radical social legislation. He pushed to reduce penalties for knowingly exposing someone to HIV from a felony to a misdemeanor. He has also been behind several gender ideology bills, including SB 957 which instructs courts to consider a parent’s affirmation of a child’s gender identity in custody disputes.
The challenge highlights a widening rift between the aging Democratic establishment and the younger progressive faction that wants to drive the party even further left. Several longtime Democrats have already announced their retirements, including Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York.
Pelosi has been silent on her plans but her spokesman insisted that she remains focused on helping California Democrats flip GOP House seats. If she does retire, additional likely candidates include her daughter Christine Pelosi, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan and progressive organizer Jane Kim.
Wiener has banked over one million dollars already and Chakrabarti plans to spend seven hundred thousand dollars of his own money. If Pelosi jumps in anyway, it sets up a bitter and expensive civil war inside her own party in one of the bluest seats in America.
Wiener is a devout Communist! He’ll be 100 times WORSE than Piglousy! He is a VILE, VILE excuse for a human being! Check on his voting and his bills and you’ll see why!