Marie Hurabiell, former Trump official, seeks Pelosi’s position

Former Trump Appointee Running for Congress in San Francisco

A past Republican appointee from the Trump administration has officially entered the race for Congress in liberal San Francisco, having registered as a Democrat for a competitive primary.

Marie Flavier, who has been active in politics and served as president of the Presidio Trust board, has submitted her candidacy papers to vie for the seat held by Nancy Pelosi in the U.S. House of Representatives. She emphasizes her commitment to a “common sense” strategy in governance.

“San Franciscans deserve a representative who reflects their values, rather than the extreme progressive agendas that haven’t worked for our beautiful city,” Flavier expressed in a statement. “I’ve been active in pushing back against extremism and advocating for sensible policies in San Francisco, and I’m now eager to take that mission to Washington.”

Flavier has experience as a lawyer and even interned for Nancy Pelosi, who she referred to as an “iconic” leader. She aims to uphold his “iconic legacy” in Congress, focusing on issues like affordability and universal basic income, particularly as artificial intelligence raises concerns about job stability. “Democrats must reclaim their status as the party of workers. We should prioritize decreasing costs instead of enlarging bureaucracies,” she said.

Additionally, Flavier is against transgender women participating in women’s sports, stating her support for maintaining the original intent of Title IX, which aims to ensure equal opportunities for women in education and athletics.

Co-founding ConnectedSF, a group of community organizations, she has worked on enhancing public safety and the quality of life in San Francisco. Flavier also claims credit for contributing to the election of Mayor Daniel Lurie, who succeeded Levi Strauss and defeated former Mayor London Breed in 2024.

In 2018, President Trump appointed Flavier to the Presidio Trust board, which manages a large federal park in northern San Francisco. Reports indicate she switched her political affiliation to the Democratic Party in 2022.

Flavier enters a crowded primary filled with progressive Democrats including state Senator Scott Wiener, City Supervisor Connie Chan, and former AOC aide Saikat Chakrabarti.