Scott Wiener elected San Francisco’s first out gay member of Congress as Pelosi-backed rival concedes

California state Sen. Scott Wiener is poised to become the first out gay person to represent San Francisco in Congress after his Democratic rival, city Supervisor Connie Chan, conceded Wednesday evening in the race to succeed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Wiener led Chan 55.46 percent to 44.54 percent in Wednesday’s returns for California’s 11th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ. Chan said she expected the margin to narrow as more ballots were counted, but her campaign’s review of the outstanding vote persuaded her to concede. Major news outlets had not yet called the race when she did.

“I congratulate Scott Wiener on his election and wish him success in serving San Francisco,” Chan said in a statement.

Pelosi, who endorsed Chan, congratulated Wiener on Wednesday and offered her office’s help with the transition.

“Representing San Francisco is an extraordinary honor and a profound responsibility,” Pelosi said. “My office stands ready to assist in the transition, and I wish him success in service for the people of our city.”

Pelosi also praised Chan and the people who worked on her campaign. “As a working mom, a public servant, and an immigrant, she gave voice to families whose struggles she knows firsthand,” Pelosi said of Chan. “I was proud to support her, and I am so proud of the campaign she ran.”

When Pelosi first won the seat in 1987, at the height of the AIDS crisis in San Francisco, she defeated Harry Britt, a gay former city supervisor and ally of Harvey Milk. In an exclusive interview with The Advocate this summer, Pelosi recalled the reaction to her first House floor speech, in which she pledged to fight AIDS. “Why’d you say you came here to fight AIDS?” she remembered people asking. Her answer: “Because I did.”

Related: Scott Wiener, running to succeed Nancy Pelosi in Congress, endorsed by HRC, Victory Fund, and more

Wiener and Chan, both Democrats, advanced from California’s top-two primary in June. Like Chan, Wiener served on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. He won election to the state Senate in 2016, where he expanded access to HIV prevention medication and secured recognition for nonbinary Californians on official documents.

Wiener also authored a 2022 law protecting transgender young people and their families who travel to California for gender-affirming care. The law limits when California authorities can share medical information or cooperate with another state seeking to arrest a provider or remove a child from a parent’s custody over care that is legal in California.

His congressional campaign drew endorsements from the Human Rights Campaign PAC, Equality California, Equality PAC, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, and the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.