This month, westside voters will receive their ballots for the June 2 primary election. One of the most notable items on the ballot is the congressional race. These four candidates will go head to head in attempts of securing Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s D-11 seat in the House of Representatives.

The top two voter-getters, regardless of party affiliation, will move on to the November general election.

Our editorial and news team at the Richmond Review and Sunset Beacon asked each candidate to respond to the following questions, in hopes of getting more insight into the issues that matter to them and their perspective on topics of importance throughout the globe, nation, City and here on the west side.

While these are not the only people in the race, these four candidates were invited to participate in this column due to their lead in endorsements, fundraising (more than $100,000 reported to the Federal Elections Commission as of March 31) and media presence in the District.

We Asked:

1. This is the first time since 1987 that someone other than Nancy Pelosi will be in Congress representing San Francisco. What will you bring to the position that the other candidates will not?

2. What is your position on funding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agencies?

3. What would be your policy position regarding Israel? Full military support, supplying only defensive weapons or withholding all military assistance?

4. What are your thoughts about how technology is progressing and the local impact of artificial intelligence (A.I.)?

5. Whom do you endorse for District 4 Supervisor?

Throughout the west side neighborhoods, I’ve talked with families worried about whether they can afford to stay, and small business owners trying to keep their doors open as costs keep rising. For too many people, San Francisco is starting to feel out of reach. I’m running for Congress to take on the housing crisis, bring down the cost of living and end the corruption in Washington that’s driving these challenges.

We are in a potential change moment. I bring the experience to turn this moment into reality in D.C. I know how to turn the popular outrage we see into political power in Washington – that’s what I did with Justice Democrats, where we turned the popular outrage in 2018, after President Donald Trump’s first win, into people-powered campaigns that challenged not just Republicans, but corporate Democrats as well. That’s how we elected Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Squad. I have the experience of changing what’s politically possible in Washington. That’s what I did as AOC’s chief of staff, where I led the work on the Green New Deal. We managed to get Democrats from wanting to do no action on climate to eventually passing the largest climate investment in U.S. history.

I have years of experience working on federal policy at my think tank, New Consensus, where we have developed comprehensive, detailed plans for exactly how to build a clean economy that works for all.

Unlike some of my opponents, I take no corporate PAC money in my campaign. I’m also the only candidate in this race willing to challenge not just Republicans but also Democratic Party leadership. I believe we need to completely change the leadership and direction of the Democratic Party to stand strongly with working people, and that will require standing up to a lot of corporate-backed Democrats in Washington, D.C.

What is your position on ICE?

We need to abolish ICE, and any internal immigration enforcement should focus exclusively on people who have committed serious crimes. Second, we have to remove all immigration functions from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and place them under the Department of Justice. Having DHS oversee immigration treats it as a national security threat on par with terrorism, which is how you end up with a militarized immigration policy. Third, we must shut down all large-scale detention centers and have immigration cases go through the traditional court structure.

What is your policy position regarding Israel?

I support an arms embargo on Israel, and will vote against sending any weapons, offensive or defensive, to Israel. The U.S. should not supply weapons of any kind to a country that is committing genocide. I agree with leading human rights organizations, such as the United Nations, International Association of Genocide Scholars, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Israeli human rights groups, that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza.

What are your thoughts on A.I.?

The debate around A.I. is really about who controls our future: corporations or people? Right now, the decisions shaping all of this are being made by a handful of CEOs accountable only to shareholders who want to maximize profits. The people whose work trained these systems, and whose lives will be upended by them, have no seat at the table. The public deserves a say over how A.I. is developed and used in society. I’m running on an ambitious A.I. platform to give everyone control over the future of A.I. See my full platform at saikat.us/en/policies#ai.

Whom do you endorse for D-4 Supervisor?

I’ve endorsed Natalie Gee for District 4 Supervisor. Natalie and I agree on labor rights and on taxing billionaires to fund critical city services. She’s a proven leader who has spent her life fighting for her community.

Final Thoughts

I’m running because I don’t think San Francisco should be a place where only the wealthy can afford to stay. If we’re serious about keeping communities like the Richmond and Sunset, and the small businesses and families that make them strong, we have to take on the housing crisis, lower costs and end the corruption that’s holding people back. That’s the fight I’m committed to bringing to Congress.

Party: Democrat

Current Position: Tech Entrepreneur, Justice

Democrats Founder

For More Information: Saikat.us

As an immigrant and as a working mom, I know families in San Francisco and across our country are struggling. Not only is Donald Trump a threat to our very democracy, he is attacking our access to health care, dismantling the Department of Education, terrorizing our immigrant community, violating rights and denying due process. I am running for congress to stand up against this administration, to restore the damage done and to fight for working people.

Our campaign is not funded by corporate PACs or billionaires, and we are not tech millionaires writing $5 million checks to buy this seat. We are a grassroots campaign that represents everyday San Franciscans. We are proud to be the only candidate endorsed by Sen. Adam Schiff, former mayors Willie Brown and Art Agnos, former judge Quentin Kopp, nurses, teachers, firefighters, hotel workers, the Working Families Party and thousands of San Franciscans. This is who I will fight for in Washington.

What is your position on ICE?

ICE is violating our rights and killing people on our streets. We must end all funding to ICE, and demand an end to the violence and raids that terrorize our immigrant communities, violate due process and undermine our rights. We must push for comprehensive immigration reform to invest in pathways to citizenship, protect and reaffirm birthright citizenship, naturalized citizenship and expand sanctuary city policies nationwide.

What is your policy position regarding Israel?

I would immediately sign on as a co-sponsor of the Block the Bombs Act and I will not support sending U.S. taxpayer money, aid or weapons to the Israeli government while they continue to carry out attacks on its neighbors and obstruct life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza. The United States must urgently reconsider its role and move toward meaningful accountability, including possible sanctions.

We must demand an immediate end to all attacks on Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. Continued escalation only deepens human suffering and destabilizes entire regions.

What are your thoughts on A.I.?

Technologies including artificial intelligence are part of our reality, so we must provide a federal framework for regulations and allow local input and control for further regulation that addresses local communities’ needs. The two guiding principles to regulating any technology like A.I.: we must ensure safety and protect our workforce. Whether it’s A.I. in healthcare, education or our workforce – A.I. should not take away jobs, and must be regulated accordingly, prioritizing safety and the workforce. Local governments like San Francisco or state governments like California should be allowed to impose their own regulations that are more restrictive than federal regulation, so local governments can efficiently target and regulate emerging technology. I also support Senator Bernie Sanders’ and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s proposed moratorium on new A.I. data center construction until comprehensive national safeguards are enacted.

Whom do you endorse for D-4 Supervisor?

I have endorsed Natalie Gee, #1 and Albert Chow, #2 for District 4 Supervisor. I will always support candidates who fight for the working people and are willing to push back against the wealthy and powerful.

Final Thoughts

I came to San Francisco’s Chinatown at the age of 13 with my single mother and younger brother. We did not speak a word of English, but San Francisco accepted us, and gave us so much, and I’m ready to throw down to make sure those opportunities are available to families today and in the future. I am ready to fight against Donald Trump’s fascist attacks on immigrants, working people and our LGBTQ community. Attacks that put our fundamental rights and our nation in jeopardy. I will fight to reverse cuts to health care and push for Medicare for All. I will fight to get ICE out and work for a pathway to citizenship. I will fight against cuts to education and advocate for affordable childcare, fully funded K-12 classrooms and free community college. I will work hard to create good paying jobs, build more affordable housing and make billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share, nationwide. I would be honored to have your support.

Party: Democrat

Current Position: District 1 Supervisor,

Chair of the Board of Supervisors Budget and

Finance Committee

For More Information: ConnieChanSF.com

After nearly four decades, San Francisco is choosing a new voice in Washington, and the choice could not matter more. This City deserves a representative who will fight for San Franciscans, not insiders and not failed ideologies.

My love for San Francisco is in my bones. I’m a multi-generation San Franciscan, born at (the former) French Hospital on Geary Boulevard in the Richmond. I attended St. Anne’s, Ecole Notre Dame Des Victoires (NDV) and Convent of the Sacred Heart, before going on to Georgetown (where I worked in Nancy Pelosi’s office) and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. I am a multi-generation San Franciscan, mother and the founder of ConnectedSF, a grassroots civic organization with 35,000 members.

I am the only candidate in this race who has spent the last six-and-a-half years on the ground in San Francisco, building a movement of ordinary residents who were tired of being ignored and I’ve delivered results.

The “people of San Francisco” is where my loyalty lies. I’m not a politician looking for my next job. Like Daniel Lurie when he ran for mayor, I don’t need this job, I’m doing it out of love for my city and loyalty to my fellow San Franciscans.

My leadership is rooted in common sense, not ideology: I left my career when I saw SF going off the rails in 2019, was a leader in the District Attorney recall, leader in Board of Education recalls, early supporter of Daniel Lurie and advocate for Prop. 36 to end rampant retail theft and hold repeat fentanyl dealers accountable. The other candidates in this race are career politicians. I am a San Franciscan who got off the sidelines. As a former trustee of the Presidio National Trust, I know firsthand how to move federal improvements that protect our neighborhoods when the next earthquake strikes. I know how to secure federal money for the things San Francisco loves and needs.

What is your position on ICE?

ICE and Border Protection must be funded for their core functions, including securing ports of entry, combating human trafficking and enforcing lawful court orders, but enforcement must be targeted, constitutional and humane. A broken immigration system serves no one. I do not agree with abolishing ICE, it is a bad idea, just like defunding the police was.

What is your policy position regarding Israel?

Israel is a vital strategic ally, and it has a right to exist and to defend itself. I support continued military assistance to Israel, including defensive and offensive capabilities necessary for its security. I will never support legitimizing Hamas or other terrorist organizations, in any diplomatic framework. At the same time, the suffering of Palestinian civilians is a humanitarian crisis that needs to be addressed. The United States should continue to push for a two state solution and restoration of peace.

What are your thoughts on A.I.?

Artificial intelligence is the most consequential economic shift of our lifetimes, and San Francisco sits at its epicenter. I believe we must regulate the use of A.I., not the tool itself: protecting workers, privacy and civil liberties without hampering American innovation.

San Francisco’s tech sector should be an engine of broadly shared prosperity and Congress needs a representative who understands the technology well enough to write smart policy around it.

Whom do you endorse for D-4 Supervisor?

Albert Chow is impressive in his tenacity fighting for his community, and Alan Wong is appreciated for his work to put the “compromise” on the ballot.

Final Thoughts

San Francisco’s families, small business owners and young people entering the workforce across the City, all of them deserve a representative in Washington who fights for them with the same tenacity she’s shown here at home. I have spent six years proving I will do exactly that. I humbly ask for your vote.

Party: Democrat

Current Position: Attorney, Founder of ConnectedSF

For More Information: VoteMarie.com

Whoever succeeds Speaker Pelosi will have big stilettos to fill. We are losing a generational champion for our City. Our next representative needs to have a backbone of steel, the ability to fight hard and a track record delivering real results, as opposed to just talking and having a lot of hot takes. Our next member of Congress also needs to have a deep, demonstrated love for San Francisco and a deep knowledge of this great city.

I have a strong track record of fighting for you in Sacramento. I wake up every day asking what I can do to make San Franciscans lives better. In my decade in the State Senate, I have passed more than 100 state laws to improve people’s lives: Forcing insurance to cover mental health and addiction treatment; Capping insulin co-pays at $35; Securing billions in state funding to keep Muni and BART running; and Building tens of thousands of new homes across California, including nearly 5,000 new affordable homes in San Francisco alone. None of it came easy. Corporate interests and Sacramento insiders came at me hard. But I beat them.

What is your position on ICE?

I first called to abolish ICE in 2017. As long as ICE exists, I will work to defund its expansion, ban its private-prison gulags and bar it from operating at schools, hospitals, courthouses and places of worship. I have already taken on this fight here at home. I authored California’s No Secret Police Act, the first law in the country banning ICE and other agents from hiding their faces while on patrol. I introduced the No Kings Act so people can sue federal agents who violate their rights. Border Patrol deserves the same scrutiny: shrink it, audit it and stop letting it terrorize our communities under the cover of border security. President Donald Trump is weaponizing the federal government to build his own private paramilitary force. It be dismantled.

What is your policy position regarding Israel?

The only path to peace is a two-state solution. There are over seven million Jews and over seven million Palestinians between the river and the sea, and neither population is going anywhere. I won’t support U.S. funding for the destruction of Palestinian communities and, thus, I will not support offensive arms sales to an Israeli government that isn’t committed to peace and democracy. The Netanyahu government – which I’ve harshly opposed for many years —has committed genocide in Gaza, and it is empowering ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. I will continue to support purely defensive systems like Iron Dome and David’s Sling, which protect millions of Jewish, Muslim and Christian civilians from missile and drone attacks. Israel, not U.S. taxpayers, should pay for these defensive systems. Furthermore, I have not and will not accept any AIPAC funding.

What are your thoughts on A.I.?

San Francisco built the modern tech industry, and I’m proud that our city is the beating heart of A.I. innovation. A.I. has the potential to cure diseases and otherwise improve our lives. But, A.I. is also a powerful technology that must be developed responsibly. That’s why I authored and passed the nation’s first A.I. safety law. A.I. is going to keep reshaping our economy, our jobs, our energy use and the cost of living in our neighborhoods. In Congress, I will work to establish A.I. safety standards, worker protections and public investment in re-training and safety nets. I’ve repeatedly taken on Big Tech, most recently for their anti-competitive monopoly behavior, and I’ll continue that work in Congress.

Whom do you endorse for D-4 Supervisor?

The voters of District 4 will make their own call. I have worked with every District 4 supervisor since my time in office, going back to Carmen Chu. Whoever wins will have a partner in me on the things the west side cares about most: education, public safety, healthcare, housing, transit and fighting Trump.

Final Thoughts

We’re living in a deeply perilous time, and San Francisco needs a leader in Congress who knows how to fight, has the backbone to stand up to MAGA and powerful corporate interests, and the experience to deliver. Talk isn’t enough. We need action and leaders with a proven track record of delivering.

It would be a deep honor to represent you in Congress. I humbly ask for your vote.

Party: Democrat

Current Position: CA D-11 State Senator

For More Information: ScottWiener.com

Election Information and Updates

When is the election?

The primary election is on June 2.

How can I vote?

According to the California Department of Elections, “All registered voters are eligible to participate in this election and will automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot.”

Ballots will be mailed out starting on May 4.

Throughout the City, there are 37 official ballot drop boxes. Two of these are located in District 1 – at Cabrillo Playground (853 38th Ave.) and at Richmond/Senator Milton Marks Branch Library (351 Ninth Ave.). They are available 24/7 through 8 p.m. on Election Day, per the Department of Elections.

To vote in-person, you may do so early at City Hall on May 23, 24, 30 or 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To vote in-person on Election Day, you may do so at your polling place, which is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 2.

How do I know if I am registered to vote?

Voters can see their registration status at SF Election’s “voter portal,” available at sfelections.org/tools/portal.

When is the last day to register to vote and receive a mail-in ballot?

According to the Department of Elections, May 18 is the last day to register to vote and receive a ballot by mail for the primary election. After the May 18 deadline, any new voters will need to register and vote in person on one of the aforementioned dates.

How many people are Running for Congress?

There are 11 candidates running for Pelosi’s seat – including the four profiled in this month’s issue.

The remaining candidates are:

• John “Gus” Buffler (D).

• Nathan Deer (I).

• Keith Freedman (D).

• David Ganezer (R).

• Omed Hamid (D).

• Gregory Haynes (D).

• Jingchao Xiong (R).

What else is on the primary ballot?

Other notable topics on the primary ballot include:

• The California governor’s race.

• A Board of Education seat.

• Prop. A (Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response Bond).

• Prop. C (Decreases to business taxes).

For a full list of what is on the ballot, consult your voter information pamphlet.