Saikat Chakrabarti builds his ground game in the race for US Congress

On a sunny Saturday morning, dozens of volunteers gathered in San Francisco’s Duboce Park in the heart of Nancy Pelosi’s district to canvass for Saikat Chakrabarti.

The first-time candidate is running to represent District 11, challenging the 85-year-old political veteran, at a time when the US is seeing growing frustration over traditional politics, including corporate campaign financing, minimal interactions with constituents, and unconditional support for Israel.

On his website, he says he will back a national affordable housing plan; develop a plan for a green economy; redirect money to public transportation; support universal healthcare; help ban congressional stock trading; support livable wages; make public universities tuition-free; vote to end all military aid to Israel; and support legislation to ensure that Congress – and not the president – declares war.

Chakrabarti, a 39-year-old ex-Silicon Valley engineer who organised for Bernie Sanders in 2016 and for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (managing her 2018 run), is hopeful that his grassroots campaign and bold policy platform will win over voters – much like the "blue wave" of 2018 that brought about the "squad" of young, progressive candidates.

"It seems impossible, right? We’re talking about stopping this authoritarian coup, which feels inevitable," said Chakrabarti, as he stood before a crowd of campaign volunteers.

"We never talk about building this actual society where no one has to struggle, which seems so impossible. That’s what you encounter at the doors. People feel like none of this is possible. There’s no reason we can’t beat Nancy Pelosi, because we know the message is a winning message," he continued.

"The real trick of the campaign is trying to get people to believe it can happen," he added.

The volunteers then set off in pairs to knock on doors, a routine that organisers initiated after Chakrabarti’s campaign launch at the end of July and plan to continue until the Democratic primary election in June.

Residents’ responses to door knockers were mixed. However, one repeated reaction, upon hearing that someone is challenging Pelosi for her seat, is surprise that she’s running again.

For over four decades, Pelosi has been an icon of the Democratic Party, as the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House, and has supported policies popular with her party, including opposing the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and the privatisation of Social Security.

However, in recent years, she has come under growing criticism, largely from younger generations and progressives, for her reliance on corporate fundraising and her family’s lucrative stock trading. Moreover, she no longer serves on any committee and has not held regular town halls in her home district in over 20 years.

As canvassers approached Myriette Bradley, a senior citizen, at her home, they gave her fliers and listed Chakrabarti’s positions. After a moment of hesitation, she told them they had her vote.

"We need Trump out, number one, and when we do, we need some new blood pushing out behind him,” she told The New Arab. "That’s it. It’s time."