Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will reportedly face a primary challenge from a surprising source in 2026.
While Pelosi and other career politicians often feel little resistance during reelection races, it’s looking like she will be facing more difficulty than anticipated next year. Scott Wiener, who was described by the New York Post as a “leather-wearing state lawmaker who is a ‘drag queen advocate,'” is reportedly throwing his hat in the ring. He has represented San Francisco in the state senate since 2016, but is aiming to dethrone Pelosi, according to outlets like Politico.
“Pelosi, 85, hasn’t said if she plans to run for another term in 2026. Wiener’s abrupt foray into the race comes as Pelosi already faces a stronger-than-expected primary challenger in Saikat Chakrabarti, a wealthy former tech executive who previously worked as chief of staff to New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” Politico reported. “One person familiar with Wiener’s thinking said he’s eager to launch his campaign now to start fundraising, noting Chakrabarti has poured $700,000 of his money into the race.”
Despite Pelosi’s advanced age, she has made no motions to retire from politics. She suffered a fall last year while in Europe and underwent hip replacement surgery, and has reportedly been seen using the assistance of her security detail to make her way around Capitol Hill.
“Speaker Pelosi is fully focused on her mission to win the Yes on 50 special election in California on November 4th,” said the congresswoman’s spokesman, Ian Krager. “She urges all Californians to join in that mission on the path to taking back the House for the Democrats.”
More from The Post:
Wiener, 55, is described as “one of the strongest LGBTQ civil rights champions in the nation,” on his state Senate profile.
ADVERTISEMENTHe’s backed legislation promoting so-called gender-affirming care for minors; allowing non-binary designations on government IDs; and ending the mandatory inclusion of adults who have oral and anal intercourse with minors on sex offender registries, arguing that the law “disproportionately targets LGBT young people.”
Wiener, who is openly gay and regularly attends San Francisco’s annual Folsom Street Fair kink festival in a leather vest and leather tie, is also a self-described “drag queen advocate.”
In response to a 2022 Texas legislative effort to ban drag shows when minors are present, Wiener floated schools “offering Drag Queen 101 as part of the K-12 curriculum.”
#UpYourAlley fair! #DoreAlley #leather #BDSM #LGBT @FolsomStEvents pic.twitter.com/fir8UCH0p7
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) July 31, 2016
This guy just gave me a bill idea:
Offering Drag Queen 101 as part of the K-12 curriculum. Attending Drag Queen Story Time will satisfy the requirement. https://t.co/Sogz2Ag8jV
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) June 7, 2022
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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