Longtime Pelosi aide McCoy enters SF D8 supervisor race

Gary McCoy, a gay man and longtime aide to Congressmember Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), is jumping into the race for the District 8 seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He had widely been expected to do so for several years and is the second local LGBTQ leader to enter the contest.

Last week, Emanuel "Manny" Yekutiel, the owner of the eponymously named cafe and event space on Valencia Street a few blocks outside the boundaries of the supervisorial district, had made official his long talked about candidacy for the District 8 seat. It includes the LGBTQ Castro district along with Diamond Heights, Glen Park, Duboce Triangle and parts of Cole Valley.

It also covers Twin Peaks where McCoy lives with his husband, Kory Powell-McCoy, and their dog Xander. He serves as the campaign manager of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s Save Our Health Care Campaign, where he works to protect Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act from the Trump administration’s attacks.

“San Francisco needs leaders who aren't afraid to stand up for what’s right, cut through bureaucracy and get things done,” stated McCoy, a well-known advocate for drug recovery services as a former drug addict himself. “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.”

Pelosi endorsed his bid to join the Board of Supervisors, where if elected next November, McCoy would be the second person living with HIV on it. Gay District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey is also HIV positive and in recovery himself for alcohol and drug addiction.

“Gary McCoy is a trusted, tested advocate who will bring thoughtful leadership and deep experience to the Board of Supervisors," stated 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."

Due to the city using a ranked-choice voting system to elect supervisors, Dorsey has endorsed McCoy as his number one choice and Yekutiel as his number two in the race. He is doing so due to their similar backgrounds, he told the Bay Area Reporter.

“Gary was very supportive of me when I ran. And I just have known Gary longer,” said Dorsey, who was first appointed to fill a vacancy then won his seat outright. “But I also think the world of Manny.”

Current gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who is also board president, is term-limited from running again in 2026. He endorsed Yekutiel last week to succeed him.

Last September, McCoy stepped in as interim president of the progressive Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club amid a scandal over the club's botched endorsements in several city races on the fall ballot that prompted Jeffrey Kwong to step down from the presidency position. McCoy is also a former co-chair of the more moderate Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club.

After a lengthy battle with a debilitating addiction, he was homeless and living with an untreated AIDS diagnosis. McCoy rebuilt his life after joining the recovery community and has been nearly 15 years substance-free; health issues are expected to be a major focus of his if elected to serve at City Hall.

“Gary has long stood with workers on the frontlines, which is why NUHW is proud to endorse him,” stated Sal Rosselli, a gay man who is president emeritus of the healthcare workers union. “From marching on the picket lines with mental healthcare providers advocating for safe staffing, to fighting alongside healthcare workers for a fair contract, he knows that San Francisco thrives when we step up for our essential workers. NUHW is proud to support a leader like Gary McCoy.”