Saikat Chakrabarti Draws 1,400 to San Francisco Club in Bid for Pelosi's Seat
Updated
Updated · KQED · May 28
Saikat Chakrabarti Draws 1,400 to San Francisco Club in Bid for Pelosi's Seat
3 articles · Updated · KQED · May 28
Nearly 1,400 people packed a South of Market nightclub in early May to hear Saikat Chakrabarti make his case to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi in Congress.
Chakrabarti used the event to argue Democrats must challenge the party establishment to deliver Medicare for All, affordable housing and stronger resistance to the Trump administration.
Hands in the air, cheers and a notably youthful crowd gave the gathering the feel of a political rally aimed at channeling outsider energy rather than a traditional campaign stop.
The turnout underscored an early effort to frame the race for Pelosi's seat as a test of whether a more insurgent Democratic message can gain traction in San Francisco.
How can a freshman representative realistically force votes on major national policies?
Can a tech centimillionaire's wealth fuel a genuine political revolution against the establishment?
How can an insurgent federal strategy solve San Francisco's pressing local crises?