California Globe

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced on Thursday that she would be ending her two decade long leadership of House Democrats, while also staying on as Congresswoman for her San Francisco district.

Born in Maryland, Pelosi moved to San Francisco in the 1970s following an internship of then Maryland Senator Daniel Brewster. She soon became involved in politics through a friendship with then Congressman Phillip Burton, becoming a Democratic National Committee member in 1976, and chairing the California Democratic Party in the early 80s. Following a few more national-level positions for the Democratic Party, Pelosi was elected to the House in 1987 during a special election following the death of Burton and his wife, Sala Burton, who had been Congresswoman for a few terms in the mid 80s.

After winning the House seat, Pelosi slowly built up credibility among Democrats through the 1990’s, eventually becoming Minority whip in 2001. Following then Democratic House leader Rep. Dick Gephardt’s departure of the post to focus on a 2004 presidential run, Pelosi became the Minority leader in 2002. She quickly consolidated power in the House by leading the effort against going into the Iraq War, and following the 2006 mid-terms in which Democrats took back Congress, she became the first female House speaker in history. Over the next 16 years, Pelosi subsequently fluctuated between being House speaker and Minority leader, losing the Speakership in 2011 following the 2010 Midterm Elections, and then gaining it back in 2019 following the 2018 elections.

Pelosi subsequently polarized many within the Democratic Party, and pushed away most Republicans from working on bipartisan measures, with many strong-armed tactics: Pushing legislation against the Iraq War, post-Great Recession and Obamacare legislation, and later for President Biden’s infrastructure and Pandemic plans. Theatrical actions, such as ripping up a State of the Union speech behind then-President Donald Trump, also polarized many. With the Democrats losing a majority in the House for the second time under Pelosi’s watch this month, combined with her age and the recent attack on her husband in their San Francisco home, Pelosi stepped down from the leadership on Thursday.

“I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” Pelosi said on Thursday. “For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect, and I’m grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility.

“When I came to the Congress in 1987, there were 12 Democratic women. Now there are over 90. And we want more. We owe to the American people our very best, to deliver on their faith. To forever reach for the more perfect union — the glorious horizon that our founders promised.

“I feel balanced about it all. I’m not sad at all. American Democracy is majestic – but it is fragile. Many of us here have witnessed its fragility firsthand – tragically, in this Chamber. And so, Democracy must be forever defended from forces that wish it harm.”

Pelosi then left the podium following a tribute to her injured husband and saying the she enjoyed working with President’s Bush, Obama, and Biden, leaving out President Trump.

Pelosi steps down

While Democrats praised her decision to let in younger members of Congress to take the reins, Republicans noted that their House victory this week essentially cost her her job.

“We have fired Nancy Pelosi,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Wednesday.

Anni Kelly, a lobbyist assistant who has worked with many members of Congress, also noted, “It wasn’t exactly sad here after it happened. It was more like it was a sigh of relief. We talked with some Congressional staff early this morning, and both parties felt that there was a huge burden lifted. My boss has been here a long time, and he said this feeling never came with any other House speaker leaving, not Paul Ryan, not Tip O’Neil, no one else. She just had that kind of attitude with her and unwillingness  to reach out across the aisle or to others in her party who thought differently. It’s historic that she was the first female Speaker, but that’s really it.

“Look around at different papers and websites. Look at the articles about her time as Democratic leader. To quote one of those staffers, ‘it is less of a retrospective and more of an autopsy.'”

Political experts also noted on Friday that despite Pelosi stepping down, California would still be at the forefront of leadership in the House, with Rep. McCarthy of California expected to be the next House Speaker, with Congressman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) likely to be one of the top Democrats in the new leadership, anticipated to be under Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-CA).

“Pelosi’s out, but California still has top party leaders on both sides,” explained Nolan Dodd, a Washington-based pollster to the Globe on Friday. “The state has a lot of members and a lot of staying power. But I can tell you that, after Pelosi, the Dems won’t like the next leader coming from California from the opposite party, but we’ll see how the voting goes.”

Both parties are to vote on new House leadership by the end of the month.