U.S. House, California 11th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 11th Congressional District?
Scott Wiener has the strongest record in California's 11th Congressional District. Scott Wiener scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Connie Chan at 65, as of October 9, 2026. Scott Wiener's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Connie Chan's highest marks are roots in the constituency and relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Connie Chan
65 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 75
Democratic
Strongest record
Scott Wiener
67 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 63
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Connie Chan
- On the record2026-10-01
Debated Scott Wiener at KQED in a debate co-hosted with the San Francisco Chronicle.
Source: KQED, Oct. 2, 2026
- On the record2026-05-01
Was among 25 people arrested, cited for failure to disperse and released at the scene during a May Day labor protest that blocked a roadway at San Francisco International Airport.
Sources: KQED, May 1, 2026, ABC7 News, May 1, 2026, San Francisco Standard, May 1, 2026
- Credit2026-06
Chaired the committee's unanimous vote restoring about $28.5 million of proposed program cuts in the 2026 two-year budget using department savings identified by the budget analyst.
- Credit2025-06
As budget chair, led the Budget and Appropriations Committee's 2 a.m. vote finalizing Mayor Daniel Lurie's $15.9 billion two-year budget, with changes that averted some planned layoffs.
Source: Mission Local, June 2025
Scott Wiener
- On the record2026-06-26
Challenged Connie Chan to 15 general election debates and debated her at KQED on Oct. 1, 2026.
Sources: Local News Matters (Bay City News), June 26, 2026, KQED, Oct. 2, 2026
- On the record2026-01-22
Announced he would step down as co-chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, effective Feb. 15, 2026.
- On the record2024-08-16
Publicly disagreed with Rep. Nancy Pelosi after she opposed his AI safety bill SB 1047 as ill informed.
Sources: Pelosi press release, Aug. 16, 2024, TechCrunch, Aug. 17, 2024
- Credit2025-10-10
Authored SB 79, allowing denser housing near major transit stops in eight counties, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 10, 2025 after three earlier versions failed.
Source: KQED, Oct. 10, 2025
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Connie Chan. A House candidate financial disclosure was filed May 15, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077126, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Scott Wiener. A House candidate financial disclosure was filed May 15, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077916, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Connie Chan. No public record found.
Scott Wiener. Kept pressing his AI safety bill, SB 1047, in 2024 after then-Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi publicly opposed it.
Sources: Pelosi press release, Aug. 16, 2024, TechCrunch, Aug. 17, 2024
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Connie Chan. Debated Scott Wiener at KQED on Oct. 1, 2026, in a debate co-hosted with the San Francisco Chronicle, and in the spring primary.
Source: KQED, Oct. 2, 2026
Scott Wiener. Debated Connie Chan at KQED on Oct. 1, 2026, and in June proposed a series of 15 general election debates.
Sources: KQED, Oct. 2, 2026, Local News Matters (Bay City News), June 26, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Connie Chan. San Francisco supervisor since January 2021 and budget chair. No censure or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Connie Chan
Scott Wiener. Has held elected office since 2011 as a supervisor and, since 2016, a state senator. No censure or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Scott Wiener
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Connie Chan. Has held sworn office as a San Francisco supervisor since January 2021. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Connie Chan
Scott Wiener. Has held sworn office as a San Francisco supervisor (2011 to 2016) and state senator (since 2016); earlier a deputy city attorney. No misuse-of-office finding found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Connie Chan. San Francisco District 1 supervisor since January 2021, reelected in 2024, and chair of the board's Budget and Appropriations Committee; earlier a city staffer and aide to District Attorney Kamala Harris.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Connie Chan, Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon, Dec. 7, 2024, Mission Local, June 2025
Scott Wiener. California state senator since 2016, in his third term, after six years on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Connie Chan. Chairs the San Francisco board's Budget and Appropriations Committee and publishes a working people's plan on jobs, tax and budget reform, labor and AI.
Sources: Mission Local, June 2025, Campaign site, Working People's Plan
Scott Wiener. Chairs the Senate Elections Committee and previously chaired the Budget, Housing and Human Services committees; author of detailed housing, health and transit bills.
Source: Senate office biography
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Connie Chan. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, publishes a plan on her campaign site and debated her opponent in October 2026.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Connie Chan, Campaign site, Working People's Plan, KQED, Oct. 2, 2026
Scott Wiener. Debated his opponent, offers a Senate office newsletter sign-up and publishes issue positions. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: KQED, Oct. 2, 2026, Senate office biography, Ballotpedia, Scott Wiener
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Connie Chan. Grew up in San Francisco's Chinatown after immigrating at 13 and lives in the Richmond District she represents. FEC by-state totals show about 95 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Wikipedia, Connie Chan (politician), Ballotpedia, Connie Chan, 2026 survey, FEC contribution totals by state
Scott Wiener. Has lived in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood since 1997 and represented it as a supervisor and senator. FEC by-state totals show about 85 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Senate office biography, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Connie Chan. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Scott Wiener. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Connie Chan. No public record found.
Scott Wiener. His Senate office lists more than 100 bills he authored that were signed into law, including SB 79 (2025), which KQED called one of the most significant housing bills in decades.
Sources: Senate office biography, KQED, Oct. 10, 2025
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Connie Chan. No public record found.
Scott Wiener. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Connie Chan. No public record found.
Scott Wiener. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Connie Chan. No public record found.
Scott Wiener. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Connie Chan. As budget chair, led committee approval of San Francisco's two-year budgets in June 2025 ($15.9 billion) and June 2026, the latter restoring $28.5 million in cuts funded by department savings.
Sources: Mission Local, June 2025, San Francisco Examiner, June 26, 2026
Scott Wiener. As Senate Budget Committee chair, carried the Legislature's 2024-25 budget plan, passed June 13, 2024, which the Senate leader described as on time.
Source: Senate President pro Tem press release, June 13, 2024
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in California's 11th Congressional District?
Scott Wiener has the strongest record in California's 11th Congressional District. Scott Wiener scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Connie Chan at 65, as of October 9, 2026. Scott Wiener's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Connie Chan's highest marks are roots in the constituency and relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in California's 11th Congressional District in 2026?
Connie Chan (Democratic), Scott Wiener (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Connie Chan a good candidate for Congress?
Connie Chan scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Scott Wiener a good candidate for Congress?
Scott Wiener scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every California race scored, and the California 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.