Leather-wearing Democratic state lawmaker Scott Wiener to challenge Nancy Pelosi for California House seat 

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is set to face a primary challenge in the upcoming 2026 election from Scott Wiener, a state lawmaker known for his advocacy for the LGBTQ community and drag queen rights. Wiener, who represents San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area in the California Senate, has already raised over $1 million for his congressional campaign.

Initially, Wiener had stated that he would wait for Pelosi to retire before running for her seat in Congress. However, recent reports indicate that he will announce his candidacy next week, setting up a showdown with the long-time incumbent Pelosi.

Despite Pelosi’s strong fundraising efforts, with over $2 million in contributions to her campaign committee, Wiener’s campaign committee, “Scott Wiener for Congress,” has also garnered significant financial support. The 55-year-old state senator is known for his advocacy work in promoting LGBTQ rights, including legislation supporting gender-affirming care for minors and non-binary designations on government IDs.

Wiener, who is openly gay, has been a vocal critic of discriminatory laws targeting the LGBTQ community. He has also been a strong advocate for drag queen rights, proposing the inclusion of Drag Queen 101 in the K-12 curriculum as a response to efforts to ban drag shows in Texas.

In addition to his advocacy work, Wiener has been an outspoken critic of former President Trump, referring to the National Guard as Trump’s “private army” and calling for ICE to be disbanded, describing the agency as a “paramilitary police force” and a “modern-day gestapo.”

As the primary race heats up, it remains to be seen how Pelosi will respond to Wiener’s challenge. With his strong support within the LGBTQ community and his record of advocacy for progressive causes, Wiener presents a formidable opponent to the veteran politician. The 2026 election is sure to be closely watched as these two candidates vie for the congressional seat in California.