Pelosi backs Rep. Schiff’s bid for Feinstein’s Senate seat

Loyal Democrat and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday endorsed Rep. Adam B. Schiff’s candidacy for the U.S. Senate, as long as incumbent Dianne Feinstein does not seek reelection.

“If she decides not to run, I will support House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who knows well the connection between a strong democracy and a strong economy,” Pelosi, of San Francisco, said in a statement. “In his service to the House, he has been focused on strengthening our democracy with justice and building an economy that works for everyone.”

Schiff chaired the Intelligence Committee until Republicans took control of the House in the 2022 election.

Pelosi’s endorsement comes as California Democrats increasingly eye the Senate seat to which Feinstein was elected in 1992. While the incumbent said she would announce her plans later this year, the 89-year-old won’t should not run for another term. The former San Francisco mayor has faced growing questions about her mental acumen and frailty in recent years.

The prospect of a rare open Senate seat in California sets the stage for a costly and highly competitive battle.

Rep. Katie Porter of Irvine was the first prominent Democrat to announce a bid for Feinstein’s seat last month, quickly followed by Schiff of Burbank. Veteran Oakland Rep. Barbara Lee told her House colleagues she planned to run and began building a campaign team. Silicon Valley representative Ro Khanna also said he was considering running. No leading Republican has announced their intention to run for office.

Along with Pelosi, Schiff also announced Thursday the support of 20 other current and former members of the California Congress, including Ted Lieu of Torrance, Brad Sherman of Northridge, Eric Swalwell of Dublin and Henry Waxman of Los Angeles.

“I am honored to have had the support of Speaker Pelosi and so many of my colleagues in the California delegation,” Schiff said. “Together, we have played an outsized role in the United States Congress to protect our democracy and support working families, and I am excited to continue that work as a partner in expanding health care, fighting climate crisis and the fight against homelessness.”