Saikat Chakrabarti, a former software engineer who worked as chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), turned heads Wednesday in San Francisco by announcing that he will challenge Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi in next year’s election.
“I’ve decided to run against Nancy Pelosi to represent San Francisco in Congress,” Chakrabarti wrote on X. Chakrabarti, who has clashed with Pelosi in the past, noted, “I know some of you might be surprised that Speaker Emeritus Pelosi is running again, but she is — for her 21st term!”
Chakrabarti’s career is closely tied to AOC’s meteoric rise. He served as campaign manager during her 2018 primary victory over incumbent Joe Crowley and subsequently became her chief of staff in Congress. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in formulating the Green New Deal, a policy proposal addressing climate change and economic inequality. He left Ocasio-Cortez’s office in 2019, after a controversial first year.
Chakrabarti showed a bit of deference to Pelosi’s nearly 38 years in the House of Representatives, in which she served two terms as speaker, but noted that times have changed since she was first elected in 1987.
“When Nancy Pelosi was first elected to Congress, you could buy a home on a single income. A summer job could pay for college. Republicans believed in climate change and respected election results,” he wrote on X. “Now, the things that defined the American Dream — being able to afford health care, education, a home, and raise a family — are impossible for most people.”
He added that the Democratic Party is ill-equipped to deal with Donald Trump’s second term and a Republican Party that “is overtly conspiratorial and anti-democracy.”
“The Democratic Party needs to stop acting like it’s competing against a normal political party that plays by the rules, and it needs a bold vision for how to raise living standards, quality of life and security for all Americans,” Chakrabarti wrote. “America is stuck, and Americans want real solutions that are as big as the problems we face.”
Chakrabarti was born in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of immigrants from India. He moved to San Francisco after college and worked in tech, starting a company before working as the second engineer at Stripe, according to his website. He then entered politics, working on Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign.
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Chakrabarti’s candidacy applies pressure on Pelosi, who will turn 85 next month and is recovering after having her hip replaced. She has filed papers to run next year but has made no formal announcement.
State Sen. Scott Wiener may also have a decision to make. In 2023, he set up an exploratory committee to run whenever Pelosi retires but has repeatedly said he would never challenge her. Chakrabarti’s entrance to the race could change that equation.
Chakrabarti and Pelosi’s office both declined to comment for this story.