Scott Wiener
DemocraticThe three main contenders are Scott Weiner, Connie Chan, and Saikat Chakrabarti. Weiner is a current CA State Senator, Chan is an SF Supervisor and Chakrabarti was AOC’s chief of staff for a bit. All support progressive priorities: Medicare for All, right to choose, federal housing support, support immigrants, LGBTQ+ rights, public transit, addressing climate change, defund Israel’s Gaza actions, peaceful foreign policy, regulate AI, tax the rich, etc. Chakrabarti criticizes Weiner for not support the proposed CA “billionaires tax,” but Weiner points out that it is one time (thus not a steady funding source), for healthcare only (rather than to CA’s General Fund for all needs), has implementation issues (valuation of personal property) and may cause wealthy people to leave CA (which relies upon them for much of its income tax). These are reasonable concerns. Chakrabarti’s solution for nearly every issue is more government programs, including a federal AI lab (far more than his proposed billionaire taxes could fund). Chakrabarti has no legislative experience, during his short stint as AOC’s chief of staff he offended many other Democratic Representatives, and AOC has not endorsed him. Chan has experience as an SF Supervisor, but that is limited to city issues. Weiner not only is right on the issues, but has introduced and worked to pass bills in the CA Legislature on many of the above issues. https://www.scottwiener.com/priorities. I want a legislator who is there to pass legislation improving Americans’ lives, not to engage in performative combat. Weiner has proven he can do so, and I endorse him.