May 18 (UPI) — House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi on Monday endorsed San Francisco City Supervisor Connie Chan in the race to succeed her for her seat in Congress.
Pelosi on Monday called Chan “the leader best prepared to carry forward the fight for San Francisco in the Congress of the United States,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Pelosi, who is the only female Speaker of the House of Representatives in the history of the United States, had voters waiting on whether she would weigh in and endorse a candidate to claim the seat that she announced last November that she would not run for reelection to retain.
“The past six months have given San Franciscans the opportunity to hear candidates for Congress make their case for the future of our city and country,” Pelosi said in a statement.
“I have been watching this race closely with all of you — and I believe one candidate stands above the rest,” she said.
According to polls, Chan trails state Sen. Scott Weiner, who is reportedly a top candidate to replace Pelosi with former Congressional staffer Saikat Chakrabarti.
“The past six months have given San Franciscan the opportunity to hear candidates for Congress make their case for the future of our city and our country,” Pelosi said in the endorsement, KRON4 reported.
In the statement, Pelosi said that Chan “understands San Francisco — our values, our diversity, our communities and our responsibility to lead with both compassion and strength.”