After 14 years as the leader of the House Democrats, U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) may have run out of time with impatient liberals.
During a meeting of the House Democratic Conference on Tuesday, the House Minority Leader told fellow Democrats a planned leadership election to be held Thursday was being postponed to Nov. 30. Reportedly, a majority of Democrats wanted more time to think about the results of last week’s general election.
“From my standpoint, I don’t care when the election is,” Pelosi reportedly said in comments made at the meeting that were later reported to CBS News. “I do care that we have the strongest possible leadership at the table, whoever that may be. But again, we’ve been through hell, and it’s only going to get worse as [Donald Trump] makes his appointments and we have this fight. But we have to see it as an opportunity.”
The delay affords Pelosi more time to whip up the votes to stay in power. Even the most optimistic predictions suggested Democrats faced a longshot to retake the House. As it was, they did pick up a handful of seats from the Republicans.
But she also faces a likely leadership challenge from Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio). Outside of him, the Democrats’ leadership bench is shallow and old.
