San Francisco is my home. It’s where I’ve lived for more than a quarter century, where I’ve built my life, and where I’ve dedicated my career to public service. I didn’t come here to make a name for myself or to use San Francisco as a political stepping stone.
I came here because I love this city. I’ve seen what makes it great, I’ve seen what threatens it, and I’ve spent my life here fighting to make it safer, more livable, and more responsive to the people who call it home.
Before I ever ran for office, I was a neighborhood advocate working to improve basic quality of life. As a member of the Board of Supervisors, I earned a reputation as someone who showed up, did the work, and never backed down from tough decisions.
For years, I was one of the board’s few voices calling for more police academy classes and full police staffing. I didn’t just talk about supporting law enforcement. I showed up. During my time on the Board of Supervisors, I attended almost every single SFPD academy graduation. I was usually the only supervisor who did that and often the only elected official. I believed then, as I do now, that San Franciscans deserve to feel safe in every neighborhood, whether they’re walking to work, dropping off their kids at school, or simply living their lives.
I’ve never shied away from taking difficult stands, even when I was the first — or the only — elected official willing to do so. I was the first elected leader in San Francisco to publicly support the Board of Education recall, not because it was politically convenient, but because our children were being shortchanged. At a time when the board majority was focused on everything except education, families needed someone to advocate for common sense, accountability, and a renewed focus on student success. I stepped up.
Long before the current debate over math instruction, I was also the first elected official (along with then-Supervisor Katy Tang) to call for the reinstatement of eighth-grade algebra. In 2015, I joined Supervisor Tang in sending a public letter to the Board of Education and the Superintendent, urging them to reverse their misguided decision to eliminate eighth-grade algebra — a decision that set San Francisco students back and reduced opportunities for advanced math. That letter received widespread attention and helped spark a broader recognition that San Francisco’s approach to math was failing students. The successful push years later to restore Algebra 1 wasn’t new for me. I’ve been fighting that fight for a decade. I’ve also been a consistent voice in support of Lowell High School.
On public safety, I’ve consistently taken the position that a compassionate city must also be a safe one. San Francisco’s current challenges — from open-air drug markets to car break-ins — have shaken residents’ trust and undermined our quality of life. I’ve authored and passed some of the most significant public-safety legislation in California in recent years, with a particular focus on holding perpetrators accountable and restoring order to our streets.
When San Francisco was experiencing a surge in car burglaries, I authored and passed SB 905, which closed the state’s “locked-door loophole” — a nonsensical gap in state law that allowed some car-break-in perpetrators to avoid conviction if a victim couldn’t prove the car was locked. This fix empowers prosecutors and helps protect San Franciscans from one of the most common and frustrating crimes in the city.
I also worked with local street vendors and community groups to crack down on the sale of stolen goods in our public spaces. The multibillion-dollar retail theft market isn’t just a nuisance. It undermines legitimate economic activity, threatens our small businesses, including street vendors, and creates unsafe conditions on our streets. That’s why I wrote and passed SB 276, allowing misdemeanor charges for those selling stolen goods on San Francisco streets. This law protects lawful vendors who play by the rules and helps restore order to heavily impacted corridors.
And for those suffering from severe mental illness or addiction who cycle endlessly between the streets, jails, and emergency rooms, I wrote and championed SB 1045, expanding conservatorship tools for San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Our goal was simple: treat people humanely, get them the care they need, and stop the tragic revolving-door system that fails both individuals and communities. A city that cares must also intervene. And I fought to give San Francisco the tools to do just that. This work ultimately led to broad new laws revamping and modernizing California’s conservatorship laws entirely.
That same commitment has guided my positions at the ballot box. In 2024, I opposed Proposition B, the so-called “Cop Tax.” I also supported Proposition E, which modernized outdated rules to allow law enforcement to use proven technology to respond faster, solve crimes, and deter criminal activity.
Since Proposition E’s passage, San Francisco has seen a meaningful decline in car break-ins and an overall reduction in crime citywide — proof that smart reforms and modern tools, when paired with accountability, actually work.
At the heart of all of this is my belief that San Francisco should be a place where people feel safe, where families have great public schools, where laws are enforced, and where compassion is paired with accountability. I’ve never been afraid to take tough positions that some in my own party didn’t like. I’ve never drifted with the political winds. I’ve stayed rooted in what I believe is best for San Francisco.
In this race for Congress, I’m the only candidate who has spent decades in the trenches of local government, fighting for public safety, responsible governance, educational excellence, and real-world solutions, not slogans. And I haven’t just talked. I’ve delivered.
I’m running because San Francisco deserves a representative in Washington who understands this city deeply and who has a proven record of standing up for common sense, even when it’s hard.
San Francisco’s best days are ahead of us. With the right leadership — grounded in experience, moderation, and a commitment to practical solutions — we can get there. I’ve fought for our community my entire time in San Francisco, and I’m ready to take that fight in Congress.
California State Senator Scott Weiner is running for Congress in the state’s 11th District in 2026.
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