Nancy Pelosi to Democratic candidates who disavow her: ‘Just win, baby’

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is unfazed by Democratic candidates denouncing her on the campaign trail. She just wants them to win.

Candidates in tough races across the country, in an attempt to fend off Republican attack ads, have increasingly pledged to vote against Pelosi for speaker if Democrats retake the majority. But Republicans have continued to tether candidates to her “San Francisco values.”

Pelosi’s advice to those candidates: “Just win, baby.”

“I have made some very powerful enemies,” Pelosi added. “They don’t say we’re against her because she passed healthcare reform, or because she took on Wall Street. They say she’s San Francisco. Yes. She’s liberal. Yes. She’s pro-LGBT. Yes. You will be, too. It’s just a matter of time.”

Democratic candidates running to flip red seats are taking a cue from Democrats Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Pa., who rejected Pelosi before winning a special election in western Pennsylvania that flipped a district President Trump won by 20 points.

The three frontrunners in Tuesday’s special election primary to replace retired Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, have all vowed to vote against Pelosi. Zach Scott, a former sheriff, said he wouldn’t vote for Pelosi because her leadership is not helping Democrats win in the Midwest.

“We’ve got to get better representation of the actual middle class, the blue collar people,” Scott said. “What I’ve seen so far is we’ve failed on the national message.”

For Democrats to win in seats such as Ohio’s 12th District they have to appeal to independents and Republicans disaffected with their party. Allegiance to Pelosi won’t help them in such districts, something that isn’t lost on the Democratic leader.

“I think if they have to do that to win the election, I’m all for winning,” she said during a Politico Playbook interview Tuesday morning. “I think many of them are saying we need new leadership. I don’t take offense at that.”

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