House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced Thursday that she will retire from House leadership after two decades at the helm of the Democratic caucus.
“I will continue to speak for the people of San Francisco. I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” she said in an address from the House floor.
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The announcement fulfills her 2018 pledge to step down after four years. The 82-year-old Democrat has faced calls to retire and clear the way for the next generation of Democratic leadership, though members of her party urged her to run in recent weeks, among them Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and President Joe Biden.
During her remarks, Pelosi reminisced on how the lower chamber changed since her first term in 1987, noting that the number of Democratic women has increased from 12 to over 90. She touted policy achievements under three presidents, omitting mention of the fourth she served under: Donald Trump. She said underneath her decades in public service lies a “fundamental mission to hold strong to our most treasured democratic ideals.”
Democrats filed into the House chamber ahead of Pelosi’s speech, while only a handful of Republicans were in attendance, many of whom left after a series of one-minute speeches. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) was the only senior member of House GOP leadership in attendance. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) told reporters later that he had conflicting meetings but that he would have come if his schedule allowed.
Schumer sat one seat away from Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the front-runner for the top Democratic spot. Pelosi was met with standing applause as she gaveled in Thursday’s House session.
Her chief of staff, Drew Hammill, teased the announcement on Twitter on Wednesday night amid intense speculation over her decision. Her conference’s leadership elections are less than two weeks away, slated for Nov. 30, and the speaker reportedly wanted to wait until the midterm elections were called before revealing her plans. The press release from Hammill came only hours after the House majority was called for Republicans.
But Pelosi was still undecided Wednesday night, with Punchbowl News reporting that she took home two versions of an announcement speech. She previously said the attack on her husband, Paul Pelosi, by a man said to have been targeting her, would affect her decision on whether or not to run for minority leader.
Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) have served as a unit in the top three Democratic leadership positions for 15 years. Pelosi’s deputies revealed after the speech that they will make way for a new crop of Democratic leaders.
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Hoyer will step down from the No. 2 post after the current session of Congress expires, Punchbowl News reported Thursday, while Clyburn will remain in leadership but as assistant Democratic leader. The moves will allow Jeffries, Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) to rise to the top three spots.
Hoyer, who will return to the Appropriations Committee, said he would advise the caucus, if requested, and revealed he would back Jeffries to replace Pelosi. Clyburn said in a statement that he hoped the three younger Democrats would succeed them.
Jeffries deflected when asked if he’ll run for minority leader. “Today is a day to celebrate the historic speakership of Nancy Pelosi,” he told reporters.
