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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosis Aide enters race for San Franciscos District 8 supervisor
A KTVU crew met with Gary McCoy in the Castro as he prepares for his official campaign launch to run for the position of District 8 supervisor. It represents the Castro and other neighborhoods. He says his struggles with methamphetamine and alcohol use, homelessness, and living with HIV will help him serve San Francisco. McCoy says hes celebrating almost 15 years of sobriety and that now is the time to give back to the city he loves.
SAN FRANCISCO - Health-care advocate and campaign manager of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi's Save Our Health Care campaign, Gary McCoy, announced his candidacy for the District 8 supervisor's seat in San Francisco on Tuesday.
New candidate emerges
What we know:
The LGBTQ leader has been a resident of District 8, which includes the Castro, for nearly two decades. According to McCoy's news release, he currently resides in Twin Peaks with his husband.
McCoy has held leadership roles with the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club as well as the Harvey Milk Democratic Club, his campaign said.
Along with Pelosi's endorsement, McCoy has garnered the support of several unions, including the National Union of Healthcare Workers, supervisors Matt Dorsey, Connie Chan, former supervisor and State Senator Mark Leno and SF Public Defender Mano Raju.
Gary McCoy
"Gary McCoy is a trusted, tested advocate who will bring thoughtful leadership and deep experience to the Board of Supervisors," said former House Speaker Pelosi. "Gary is well prepared to help San Francisco address key challenges – jobs, affordability, housing and health care. The people in District 8 will be well served by Gary’s steady hand and fierce advocacy at City Hall."
Struggles with homelessness and addiction
The backstory:
The campaign divulged the personal details of McCoy's origins. Before entering politics, he had struggled with addiction, homelessness and an untreated AIDS diagnosis. He's now said to be 15-years sober.
"San Francisco needs leaders who aren't afraid to stand up for what’s right, cut through bureaucracy and get things done," said McCoy. "I know what it means to fight; I’ve fought for health care, for housing, for working families, and for our LGBTQ community. I’ve lived the consequences of a system that fails people, and I’ve worked to change that system so others don’t have to endure the same struggles. That’s the fight I want to take to City Hall for District 8."
Gary McCoy
His platform
According to McCoy's news release, his platform includes building housing at all levels, including market rate and affordable. He's also a proponent of Mayor Daniel Lurie's Family Zoning plan. His campaign explains this as a plan that would create more density along transit corridors, making neighborhoods more safe and vibrant.
McCoy also plans on expanding the city's mental health crisis response, investing in safe streets and reliable transit, according to his campaign's news release.
Other candidates
The outgoing Supervisor, Rafael Mandelman, who is also the board of supervisors' president, has endorsed another candidate, café owner Manny Yekutiel. His Mission District café has been used as a spot for civic engagement since its inception.
What's next:
We previously reported the filing period to enter the race ends in May 2026. There will be five supervisor seats up for grabs in the November 2026 ballot.
On Saturday, McCoy will hold a campaign launch event at 10 a.m. in the Castro.
SF cafe owner announces candidacy for District 8 Supervisor
Manny Yekutiel , owner of Manny's Cafe in San Francisco, officially announced on Monday that he is running for District 8 Supervisor which represents the Castro and other neighborhoods when its current Supervisor, Rafael Mandelman terms out in January 2027. He is being endorsed by Mandalman. He spoke with KTVU's Amber Lee in a one-on-one interview about his plans and priorities. So far, Yekutiel is the only person who's officially announced his candidacy for the seat. There is at least one other person who's considering entering the race.