The Human Rights Campaign PAC, Equality California, Equality PAC, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, and the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus Thursday announced their endorsements of Wiener for California’s 11th Congressional District, based in San Francisco and heavily Democratic. Pelosi, a Democrat and strong LGBTQ+ ally who has held the seat since 1987, is not seeking reelection.
Wiener, also a Democrat, was elected to the California Senate in 2016 and before that was a member of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors — its city council — representing Harvey Milk’s district. He has authored much pro-LGBTQ+ legislation in California, including a bill creating the option for nonbinary people to have official documents matching their gender identity, bills preventing discrimination based on HIV status and expanding access to PrEP, and legislation to protect transgender youth seeking health care in California.
When announcing his candidacy for Congress, he vowed to fight for affordable housing, the Constitution, and LGBTQ+ youth and their families, and to hold insurance companies accountable.
“With our lives under attack from the MAGA regime, the LGBTQ+ community needs to see more of our own in the halls of power unabashedly standing up for our rights and freedoms. Scott Wiener will be a champion in Congress,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said in the release. “During his time in the California Legislature, he has been relentless in fighting for our community, and he’s ready to go toe-to-toe with the Trump administration and anti-equality forces in Congress to deliver victories for all Californians.”
Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang called Wiener “one of the country’s most effective and courageous champions for LGBTQ+ equality — leading efforts to expand access to life-saving medications, protect LGBTQ+ seniors and foster youth, and make California a refuge for transgender young people and their families,” adding, “At a time of unprecedented attacks on our community from the Trump Administration, his unwavering commitment to equality and unparalleled record of fighting for our communities are exactly what we need in Washington.”
“As Republicans continue to erase the voices of LGBTQ Americans, it is critical that we elect strong LGBTQ advocates like Scott Wiener who will never waver in the face of bigotry and intolerance,” Equality PAC Executive Director Jeff Larivee said. “With the retirement of Speaker Pelosi, a defining voice in the House, we must continue to elect a new generation of leaders rooted in justice, representation, and resilience.”
“Few leaders have fought harder for LGBTQ+ rights in California than State Sen. Scott Wiener — and now he’s taking that fight to Congress,” LGBTQ+ Victory Fund President and CEO Evan Low said in the release. “For over 15 years, Scott has delivered results at the local and state level, championing equality, safety, and health for all.” Low, a former California legislator, noted that he worked with Wiener to enshrine marriage equality in the state and repeal the anti-marriage equality Proposition 8, unenforceable but still on the books. “Electing Scott means sending a proven leader to Washington with the courage and track record to stop the rollback of LGBTQ+ rights,” Low continued. “Our caucus will be stronger when Scott joins us in the U.S. House in 2026."
“The LGBTQ+ community has no greater legislative champion than Senator Scott Wiener,” said Assemblymember Chris Ward, chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus. “From expanding access to HIV care, to strengthening rights for seniors and youth, to trailblazing access to IDs for nonbinary people, he has done it all and never backed down. His courageous leadership and proven track record of delivering for our community are needed in Congress now more than ever as right-wing forces continue to target LGBTQ+ people with bigotry and hatred.”
Wiener released the following statement: “The support for our campaign from the LGBTQ community has been overwhelming, and I’m humbled to receive endorsements from the organizations leading our fight for equality. This community means so much to me, and I will never stop fighting to defend and uplift it. As MAGA continues to scapegoat and vilify LGBTQ people for the simple, revolutionary act of living authentically, we’ll continue to show the world what resilience looks like. As San Francisco’s next member of Congress, I will fight relentlessly to ensure every LGBTQ person has the protections and support they need to live openly with pride.”
Besides Wiener, those running to succeed Pelosi are Democrats Connie Chan, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors; Saikat Chakrabarti, a former tech executive who worked for U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and in U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’s 2016 presidential campaign; Cole Bettles, a nonprofit staffer; Darren Helton, a tech executive; Daniel Wheeler, a lawyer; Jingchao Xiong, a social management scientist; and Republican David Ganezer, publisher of an alternative newspaper.
In California, the two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary election advance to the general election, regardless of party. The primary will be June 2 and the general November 3.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
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