AOC's Former Chief of Staff Runs for Pelosi's Seat, Backed by Drag Queen

Saikat Chakrabarti, a millionaire Silicon Valley titan, launches bid for Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat with endorsement from drag queen Peaches Christ.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 1:20am by Ben Kaplan

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Saikat Chakrabarti, the former chief of staff for Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has launched a bid for Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat in San Francisco. Chakrabarti, a millionaire from the tech industry, has received the endorsement of drag queen Peaches Christ, who is organizing a "Drag Me to Vote" event to support his campaign.

Why it matters

Chakrabarti's unconventional campaign strategy, which includes the drag queen endorsement, has generated significant controversy and backlash, with some questioning whether he is taking the race seriously. The race for Pelosi's seat is seen as an important battleground for the Democratic party, as it could signal the direction of the party's leadership.

The details

Chakrabarti, 40, announced his intention to run for Pelosi's seat on Friday, sharing a video of Peaches Christ endorsing him on social media. In the video, Peaches Christ says that San Francisco has a "rare opportunity" to send someone to Washington "willing to actually challenge the systems that created the crises we're living through." Chakrabarti and Peaches Christ also revealed plans for an April 4 "Drag Me to Vote" event in San Francisco. The announcement has received swift backlash online, with some questioning whether Chakrabarti is taking the race seriously and criticizing the involvement of a drag queen in the campaign.

  • Chakrabarti announced his intention to run for Pelosi's seat on Friday, March 22, 2026.
  • Chakrabarti and Peaches Christ revealed plans for an April 4, 2026 "Drag Me to Vote" event in San Francisco.

The players

Saikat Chakrabarti

A 40-year-old millionaire from the tech industry who is running for Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat in San Francisco. He is the former chief of staff for Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Peaches Christ

A drag queen who has endorsed Saikat Chakrabarti's campaign for Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat and is organizing a "Drag Me to Vote" event to support his campaign.

Nancy Pelosi

The current Congresswoman for California's 12th district, who is set to retire.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

A Congresswoman from New York's 14th district, for whom Saikat Chakrabarti previously served as chief of staff.

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What they’re saying

“San Francisco has a rare opportunity right now. This congressional race will decide whether we keep accepting business as usual or whether we send someone to Washington willing to actually challenge the systems that created the crises we're living through.”

— Peaches Christ, Drag Queen

The takeaway

Chakrabarti's unconventional campaign strategy, which includes the endorsement of a drag queen, has generated significant controversy and backlash, raising questions about whether he is taking the race for Pelosi's seat seriously. The race is seen as an important battleground for the Democratic party, as it could signal the direction of the party's leadership.