Christine Pelosi named as potential new S.F. Supervisor

San Francisco Supervisor David Chiu’s election to the state Assembly will have wide reverberations at City Hall in the coming weeks — and could leave District Three unrepresented for a month — as political insiders jockey to influence not only who will replace him but also who will be the board’s new president.

Many possibilities exist for both jobs, and it seems likely that the board will have a new president before it has a new supervisor. The developments are being closely watched, because a more progressive District Three representative or president stands to shift the balance of power toward the left at the Board of Supervisors and affect whether Mayor Ed Lee can secure legislative backing for his tech-friendly, pro-business policies.

Planning Commission President Cindy Wu — a longtime affordable housing advocate whose politics are to the left of Lee’s — is favored by Chinatown power players for Chiu’s seat. For much of the past year, she has been seen as the heir apparent for the District Three seat, but her connections are giving some mayoral allies pause.

Lee is being pressured by some in his inner circle to look at other candidates considered more moderate or business-friendly. They include Julie Christensen, a neighborhood activist and product design consultant whose advocacy included the construction of the new North Beach Library, and Christine Pelosi, a Democratic Party strategist and the daughter of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco.


http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/S-F-political-insiders-jockey-for-David-Chiu-s-5884345.php