On Thursday, November 17, 2022, Nancy Pelosi announced she would not seek reelection for Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives. She will, however, continue to represent the 12th District of California, located in San Francisco, in the House.
This news comes after the 2020 midterm election results were announced. The Republican Party will take over control of the chamber because of incumbent Republican Representative Mike Garcia’s win in California’s 27th Congressional District. Many speculate that Nancy is close to retirement and her daughter Christine Pelosi will take up her mother’s reins.
Nancy spoke on the House floor about her decision. "With great confidence in our caucus, I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress. For me the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect. I'm grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility," she stated.
Nancy also talked about how wonderful it is to see the House becoming more diverse. When she first was elected, there were only 12 women. Now there are 90.
"And we want more," she stated.
Nancy’s announcement is a fulfillment of a promise she made in 2018 when she became only the second person to hold the office of speaker of the House twice. She promised to self-impose term limits. Today she kept her word.
Nancy was also influenced by tragic current events. Her husband, Paul, was attacked in their San Francisco home by an extremist with a hammer, leaving him with a broken skull. She told CNN’s Anderson Cooper earlier this month, “I have to say my decision will be affected about what happened the last week or two,” referring to the attack.
Upon hearing Nancy’s news, it is only normal to speculate when she will retire completely and who will fill the void she leaves behind. One might not have to look further than her own family to find a suitable replacement. Her daughter Christine Pelosi, 56, is very politically active.
Christine’s website describes her as a multi-hyphenate. She is an “attorney, author, and advocate” with “a lifetime of grassroots organizing and public policy experience.” One can assume her political education started from the cradle with mom Nancy.
Christine has an impressive résumé in her own right. She holds her JD from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and a BSFS from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She is a former San Francisco prosecutor, special counsel in the Clinton-Gore administration, and chief of staff to Representative John Tierney of Massachusetts on Capitol Hill.
Christine has never held an elected office but has been elected to many Democratic committees. She serves on the executive committees of the California Democratic Party, the National Federation of Democratic Women, and the Democratic National Committee. She also has a political tool one can never underestimate: connections.
Carolyn Fowler, the current Women’s Caucus chair, spoke to Politico about the importance of connections. “The more people you are connected with, absolutely the better you’re served if you’re trying to do something else. Having those connections, ‘Let me call so-and-so and see what they think,’ that becomes politically important,” she mused.
With Christine’s impressive résumé and her connections, she could be an unstoppable force in the House of Representatives should she choose to run. Time and elections will tell if she inherits her mother’s seat and speakership. The stage appears to be set for her to do so.
