Pelosi Steps Down from House Leadership
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi listens as President Joe Biden delivers remarks at a Women’s History Month event, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, in the East Room of the White House (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz).
Although Pelosi has announced her departure from her leadership role, she will serve the rest of the term for her position in Congress that she was just reelected for during the recent midterm elections.
Article by Lydia McFarlane, Junior White House Producer
WASHINGTON - Following the Democratic party losing its majority in the United States House of Representatives, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced on Thursday, November 17, 2022, that she would be stepping down as the top Democrat. She will not be seeking a reelection to a leadership position in January when the next Congress convenes and the Republican party officially takes the majority in the House of Representatives.
“With great confidence in our caucus, I will not seek re-election to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” said Pelosi in a speech on the House floor.
She noted that it is time for a younger generation to take over leadership.
“For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic Congress that I so deeply respect,” Pelosi said in the speech. “And I am grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility.”
Since January 2003, Speaker Pelosi has led the Democrats as the top member of the party, through Democratic majorities and minorities. The duration of her time serving as top Democrat as well as her age have been called into question. Many Democrats have been calling for new leadership within the party for some time, especially now that Pelosi is 82 years old.
Nancy Pelosi is the first female Speaker of the House, and she has served in Congress for 35 years. After the Democrats won the majority in the House in the 2018 midterm elections, she vowed to her party that she would serve in the leadership position for two more terms, which equates to four years.
Because of this deal she made back in 2018, this announcement should not come as a shock to Democrats in the House of Representatives or those voters around the nation.
Her announcement has been met with praise and well wishes from other top political leaders. Joe Biden released a statement congratulating Pelosi and noting some of her accomplishments.
"When I think of Nancy Pelosi, I think of dignity," said President Biden. "History will note her as the most consequential Speaker of the House of Representatives in history – she is first, last, and always for the people. America owes her a debt of gratitude for her service, patriotism, and dignity.”
Earlier this month, Pelosi said her decision about her future in the party and in Congress would reflect recent family issues. Her husband, Paul Pelosi, also 82 years old, was attacked by intruders into their home last month, and will face a long recovery from the injuries he sustained during the attack. The attack was targeted, and the intruders were looking for Nancy Pelosi as they broke in.
Pelosi ruled house Democrats with a firm hand, not wavering on her positions and working hard to put up a united Democratic front. She has faced lots of backlash, especially in the more recent years of her service since Donald Trump came into office.
Trump and his supporters took to personally attacked Pelosi, and the aftershocks of that can be seen in the brutal attack on her husband last month. On the January 6 insurrection, signs saying “Pelosi is Satan” could be seen as the insurrectionists stormed the Capitol building in search for her and other members of Congress.
Even in the face of these hardships and hate, she has not wavered.
Even representatives from the Republican party have admired her strength and tenacity through her times serving as speaker and top Democrat.
“[She is] totally dominant,” former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said. “She’s clearly one of the strongest speakers in history. She has shown enormous perseverance and discipline.”
Pelosi was at the helm of the party through historic legislation and events in American politics. She oversaw the passing of Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act of 2010, legislation that targeted banks in 2010 called the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and most recently, Biden’s 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
She has worked with House democrats to pass these historic bills and many more during her time in the leadership position.
Although Pelosi has announced her departure from her leadership role, she will serve the rest of the term for her position in Congress that she was just reelected for during the recent midterm elections.
Upon her departure from leadership, New York Democratic congressman Hakeem Jeffries is expected to take over Pelosi’s leadership role as top Democrat. This would make him the first person of color to lead the party in the House.
While many speculated he would be the top choice to follow Pelosi, he released an official statement on Friday, November 18, 2022, to announce his bid for the position.
"Today, I write to humbly ask for your support for the position of House Democratic leader as we once again prepare to meet the moment," Jeffries said in a statement. "It was an extraordinary responsibility to chair the House Democratic Caucus during a time of significant turbulence and legislative accomplishment."
As Pelosi steps down from the House Democratic Leader Position, a new era of leadership will be ushered in come January.