Nancy Pelosi’s Daughter Could Enter District 6 Race

by Casey Mills, 2006-01-18

Rumors are circulating among political insiders that House of Representatives Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, Christine Pelosi, may have plans to challenge Supervisor Chris Daly for his seat this November. Christine currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Massachusetts Congressman John Tierney, and would presumably move into District 6 to run after living in Washington, D.C. for more than 10 years. The possibility of Pelosi entering the race reveals Daly’s political opponents to be unsatisfied with the current crop of contenders for his seat, as well as hopes that Pelosi’s national name recognition will overcome Daly’s strong community support.

While the source of the rumors remain unclear, several insiders claim they’re coming from Mayor Gavin Newsom’s camp. In particular, some trace the rumblings to political advisor Eric Jaye, and see his floating a possible Pelosi run as a means to gauge public reaction to it.

Most agree that the real chance of Pelosi running remains relatively small, as she currently holds a high-level position at the national level. Moving back to San Francisco to begin a career as a politician in a district known for its lack of reservation when expressing anger towards elected representatives hardly seems a desirable move for her, or a fitting place to begin her political career.

However, that the rumor comes from reliable sources reveals a great deal about downtown’s and Newsom’s dedication to unseating Daly. The floating of a name as big as Pelosi’s proves the current District 6 Supervisor represents a major thorn in the side of the current administration, necessitating a formidable candidate to unseat him. It also proves that those who already announced their plans to run do not meet downtown’s requirements for such a candidate.

The rumor comes on the heels of a protest against Nancy Pelosi at a recent appearance here in San Francisco that highlighted her refusal to take a strong stance against the war in Iraq. Should her daughter run, the District 6 race could quickly become a proxy war between the sizable anti-Pelosi camp and the Democratic Party establishment that supports her.

Christine Pelosi has already endured some attacks during her time in Washington, mostly for allegedly benefiting from nepotism. Christine dated a Texas Congressman named Max Sandlin for about a year, and during that time Nancy Pelosi handed him a highly sought-after seat on the Ways and Means Committee.

Some charged favoritism, charges which were later renewed when Christine’s boss Tierney received a slot on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The criticism, however, came primarily from Republicans, making it unclear if it will become an issue should Pelosi choose to run in District 6.

The most recent records obtained by Beyond Chron, dating to 2004, show Christine Pelosi listing her mother’s house on Broadway as her place of residence in the city. This would put her in District 2, a district where the interests of its primarily upper-class residents often conflict with the primarily low-income population of District 6.

Pelosi’s District 2, well-heeled background could prove another sticking point as she considers entering the race, as they may earn her the same ‘limousine liberal’ charges often leveled at Nancy Pelosi. District 6 represents the most vulnerable residents of San Francisco, and voters there traditionally reject ‘establishment’ candidates unwilling to rock the boat. Christine Pelosi could face a tough sell trying to convince Tenderloin and South of Market voters she managed to spend ten successful years working in Washington, but will be willing to fight for their needs even when it’s not politically prudent.

As November gets closer, the final line-up to face Daly remains unclear. While a Pelosi candidacy may not have much of a chance, it remains clear that our Mayor and downtown aren’t finished finding someone to unseat their rival at the Board. Expect an exciting lead-up to the election.