Ex-Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi Thursday introduced she received’t run for reelection subsequent yr, ending a trailblazing profession as one of the vital highly effective and efficient congressional leaders in latest American historical past.
Pelosi, who broke the glass ceiling to turn out to be the primary girl to function Speaker, mentioned she was retiring after representing her beloved hometown of San Francisco in Washington, D.C. for practically 4 many years.
“I will not be seeking reelection to Congress,” Pelosi, 85, mentioned in a video deal with to voters.
Hanging an optimistic tone, Pelosi framed her political swan track as a message of inspiration to her constituents.
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi in 1996. (J. DAVID AKE/AFP through Getty Photographs)
She urged San Francisco to jealously guard its place as a progressive vanguard as Democrats battle again towards President Trump’s right-wing second-term agenda.
“My message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power,” she mentioned. “We have made history. We have made progress. We have always led the way.”
Pelosi will proceed to serve out her last time period, which ends after subsequent yr’s midterm elections. She stepped down as Democratic Home chief after the social gathering misplaced management of the chamber within the 2022 midterms.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) assumed the mantle from Pelosi and is on monitor to turn out to be the primary Black Speaker of the Home if Democrats can retake the Home in 2026.
Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California holds the gavel on the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 3, 2019. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)
A number of native Democrats are anticipated to vie for Pelosi’s seat, which is likely one of the deepest blue districts within the nation.
Pelosi’s choice, whereas not totally sudden, ricocheted throughout San Francisco, California and the nation.
She is simply probably the most senior of a technology of Democratic leaders who’re stepping apart amid requires social gathering renewal forward of subsequent yr’s midterm elections.
