Congressman-elect Scott Wiener threw his support behind Assemblymember Matt Haney on Thursday to succeed him in the California Senate, setting up a special election early next year that pits Haney against Christine Pelosi, the daughter of retiring Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who has never held elected office. The race will decide who represents San Francisco and parts of San Mateo County for the remaining two years of Wiener's Senate term.
Wiener, who was just elected to Congress by San Francisco voters, currently holds California's 11th Senate District seat. According to The San Francisco Standard, he endorsed Haney, who represents California's 17th Assembly District and won reelection on Tuesday. “Matt and I have worked together for over a decade,” Wiener said in a statement, crediting Haney with building housing, holding powerful corporations accountable, and lowering costs for working families. “Matt is the champion San Francisco needs,” he added.
Haney, a Democrat, said he is running to lower costs, increase housing, and make sure artificial intelligence and Big Tech “answer to the people, not the other way around.” More than 70 members of the Legislature have already endorsed him, including Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani, the Standard's reporting shows. The Bay Area Reporter notes that his would-be district covers all of San Francisco and a portion of San Mateo County including Daly City, Colma, and parts of South San Francisco and San Bruno.
A Pelosi Enters the Race
Christine Pelosi announced her state Senate candidacy in November 2025, shortly after her mother said she would not seek reelection to Congress. A consultant for Haney had already confirmed around that same time that he was interested in running once the seat became available.
The matchup extends a rivalry that shaped the 2026 congressional race, the Standard notes. Nancy Pelosi had endorsed Supervisor Connie Chan in that contest against Wiener, and sources told the outlet that she turned icy toward Wiener after he announced his candidacy for her congressional seat before her own retirement announcement. The Los Angeles Times reported that Wiener ultimately overcame Pelosi's endorsement of Chan to win the House seat.
Open FPPC Investigations Loom Over the Campaign
Haney's path to Sacramento's upper chamber comes amid two investigations by the state Fair Political Practices Commission. One, opened in July 2024, examines whether he misused campaign funds in his 2022 and 2024 Assembly races; the other looks at whether he properly reported a $5,000 donation he directed to his holiday toy drive.
Those probes followed reporting that Haney's campaign used contributions to pay for tickets to sporting events and a Broadway show, describing some expenses as fundraisers. The Standard reported about $75,000 in campaign spending on tickets for 49ers, Giants, and Warriors games.
Haney's attorney said his campaign committees had fully complied with campaign finance laws.
Early Endorsements Pile Up
Wiener was among Haney's earliest backers, joining state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon and seven of the 11 members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, according to the Bay Area Reporter. With the special election still to be scheduled for early 2027, the size of Haney's legislative endorsement list — and the unresolved FPPC scrutiny — are likely to remain central storylines as the campaign against Pelosi takes shape.
