Wiener Enters Pelosi Race; Jean‑Pierre Leaves Democrats

State Sen. Scott Wiener has formally announced his candidacy for the San Francisco congressional seat long held by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, touting his record on housing, health care, clean energy and rights while Pelosi, 85, has not said whether she will run in 2026. Wiener's bid highlights a broader Democratic reckoning over generational power as critics question long‑tenured leaders remaining in office into their 80s. Separately, former White House press secretary Karine Jean‑Pierre's new memoir, Independent, says she registered as an Independent after feeling betrayed by Democratic leaders who she says pushed President Biden off the 2024 ticket and defends his fitness to govern. Her book tour has drawn skepticism from fellow Democrats and media figures — notably Stephen Colbert pressed her on whether Biden's poor debate performance signaled cognitive decline and veteran strategists have questioned her account — and Jean‑Pierre called such criticism an "ugly assault" on a longtime public servant. Together, the Wiener and Jean‑Pierre stories underscore intensifying intraparty tensions over leadership, generational change and how Democrats handled concerns about an aging president.