Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as speaker of the House, on Monday threw her significant clout behind a woman in the race to succeed her: Connie Chan, a member of the San Francisco board of supervisors.
Ms. Pelosi, who last fall announced she would not seek another term in Congress, had previously stayed quiet on the contentious race to replace her.
Ms. Pelosi released a snippet of a video that will be distributed in full on Tuesday in which she sits with Ms. Chan, a fellow Democrat, in front of an image of the Golden Gate Bridge.
“I know and love this district,” Ms. Pelosi says into the camera, patting a beaming Ms. Chan on the back. “I know the Congress, and I know Connie. I’m proud to endorse Democrat Connie Chan and ask you to join me in electing her to Congress.”
Ms. Chan is running in the June 2 primary, and is seen as a leading contender in a field of candidates that includes Scott Wiener, a Democratic state senator known for pushing for the development of far more housing and for advancing gay and transgender rights.
Mr. Wiener has consistently ranked highest in polls, while Ms. Chan and another Democrat, Saikat Chakrabarti, are seen as vying for second place. Under California’s open primary system, the top two contenders, regardless of party, will compete in the November election.
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