The heated San Francisco race to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi is rapidly becoming the most expensive contest of the election cycle, as Saikat Chakrabarti pours millions of his own wealth into his campaign.

Chakrabarti, a tech engineer and former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, self-funded more than $4.8 million for his campaign through March 31, according to financial filings released Wednesday.

Excluding personal contributions, he has raised about $61,000 from donors this year. His total raised from donors is $360,000.

“We’ve gotten more than 13,000 contributions to date, with an average donation of $27,” Chakrabarti’s campaign spokesperson, Tiffaney Bradley, said. “That’s what a grassroots campaign looks like.”

State Sen. Scott Wiener, who is leading in most polls and has been eyeing the House seat since 2023, has raised more than $3.4 million, a 25% increase since the last filing in late January. More than 3,300 individuals have donated to Wiener, the campaign said.

Wiener’s campaign this week launched a seven-figure television ad buy, with one spot featuring a giraffe (opens in new tab) at the San Francisco Zoo as a playful nod to the candidate’s 6-foot-7 stature and nickname in the Chinese community.

Chakrabarti has also been on the air since March. His campaign has spent more than $3 million since the beginning of this year.

The rivalry between Wiener and Chakrabarti has grown increasingly contentious in recent weeks, with sharp exchanges on social media and clashes on the debate stage. An outside spending group backing Wiener sent out mailers to attack Chakrabarti, and a mysterious van (opens in new tab) questioning the former Stripe employee’s San Francisco bona fides has appeared around the city.

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“Saikat has already spent more on this race than every other candidate combined,” Joe Arellano, Wiener’s campaign spokesperson, said in a statement. “Why? Because he is trying to cover up the skeletons in his closet from his six months in D.C. and make it look like he actually has ties to San Francisco.”

Chakrabarti’s campaign accused Wiener of being supported by a super PAC backed by Trump supporters and tech corporations.

“We’ll leave that kind of dirty politics to Scott,” Bradley said.

Spending is expected to accelerate up to the June primary. The two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary — regardless of party affiliation — advance to the November general election.

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Supervisor Connie Chan, another candidate, is trailing in the polls and financially, with about $456,000 raised and roughly $157,000 cash on hand. Her campaign has emphasized her background as a longtime public servant supported by the working class. Chan also blasted Chakrabarti’s spending on the race.

“This is an election, not an auction,” Chan said. “San Franciscans are tired of the mega-rich using endless wealth to buy elections, and we know our city is not for sale.”

Another candidate, activist Marie Hurabiell, considered the conservative in the generational race to replace the retiring Pelosi, entered the contest late and has raised about $320,000 from donors, along with $100,000 of her own money.

“Fundraising wasn’t difficult. Most San Franciscans don’t want socialism or defund the police,” Hurabiell said. “My supporters want a better alternative.”