Scott Wiener leads Connie Chan in San Francisco congressional race

State Senator Scott Wiener has taken a commanding lead over Supervisor Connie Chan in the race to become San Francisco's next member of Congress, according to Mission Local. As of the latest count, Wiener leads with 55% of the vote to Chan's 45%, with 35% of ballots counted.

The San Francisco Standard reported that Wiener built support in neighborhoods that traditionally vote for progressives, undercutting Chan in areas that have swung toward Democratic Socialist initiatives. Chan has not conceded the race, noting that only about a third of ballots have been counted and that final results may take days.

Chan was endorsed by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whom the winner will replace after 39 years in office. Despite this, election observers consider Wiener's lead significant and believe it will be difficult for Chan to overcome it.

Both candidates have largely agreed on national issues, advocating progressive policies such as Medicare for All, increased taxes on the wealthy, abolishing ICE, and directing more federal funds to housing. The race has drawn attention as the first competitive congressional contest many San Francisco voters have experienced in decades.

Further ballot counting is expected in the coming days, with some conventional wisdom suggesting later voters in San Francisco tend to skew more working class, which could potentially affect the final outcome.