Scott Wiener Leads 11th District by 15 Points as Union Square Opens

San Francisco's political transition and downtown civic activation converged this week as State Senator Scott Wiener took a 15-point election-night lead in the race to succeed retiring Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi in California's 11th Congressional District, and Union Square Plaza reopened its daily amenities ahead of a three-month winter craft series.

Scott Wiener Builds 15-Point Lead Over Connie Chan in 11th Congressional District

In the contest for California's 11th Congressional District—a seat held for 40 years by retiring Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi—State Senator Scott Wiener opened a 15-point lead over City Supervisor Connie Chan with 30% of ballots counted, according to KALW 91.7. Chan, who received Pelosi's endorsement, had campaigned outside City Hall until five minutes before polls closed at 8:00 p.m. before gathering with supporters at Gray Area in the Mission, as reported by Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez of the San Francisco Standard.

Taking the stage at his watch party around 9:15 p.m., Wiener declared victory and noted that he would become the first LGBTQ person to represent San Francisco in Congress, according to Mission Local reporter Io Yeh Gilman. Wiener thanked Chan for her campaign and outlined plans to focus on affordability, housing, transportation, immigration, and artificial intelligence regulation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Union Square Plaza Launches Free Winter Crafts Through January 17, 2027

In downtown San Francisco, Union Square Plaza resumed its free daily amenities Wednesday and is rolling out free winter crafts on select Thursdays through Sundays from Thursday, November 5, 2026, through January 17, 2027, Hoodline reported. The opening week schedule features Beaded Corn with Coffee N Cream Press and SF Etsy on Thursday, Charm Covered Mini Frames with Rebecca Saylor Studio and SF Etsy on Friday, Diwali Paper Lanterns with SCRAP SF on Saturday, and Nature Inspired Wands from Maker Studio Kidz on Sunday.

The programming is funded by Bank of America and a grant from the Office of Mayor Daniel Lurie and the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development to Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, in cooperation with San Francisco Recreation and Parks and the Union Square Alliance. Following a December 2024 plan for a $1 million city contract requiring Biederman Redevelopment Ventures to deliver roughly 200 days of programming in 2025, the organization hosted 429 free programs during the 2025 pilot year that engaged more than 800,000 participants and increased daily plaza visitation by 13.7%, while San Francisco Recreation and Parks reported a 5% rise in average monthly visitors under the Heart of the City plan.