Within 24 hours of Democrats winning the House, a small contingent of Democratic members opposed to Nancy Pelosi’s continued leadership began to plot her ouster.
The group of roughly 10 members are hoping to bring newly-elected Democrats into the fold, targeting those who made critical comments of the minority leader throughout their campaigns. Pelosi allies have dismissed the effort, noting that similar moves have failed in the past.
But the faction of Pelosi defectors is adamant that they are growing in number, complicating Pelosi’s path to House speaker. The California Democrat made history in 2007 when she became the first woman to wield the speaker’s gavel, and she’s expressed confidence that she will reclaim the mantle a second time.
“My vision for the next two years is to restore the House to the role it should have as a strong and independent voice for the American people, and maximize the ability and the creativity of our entire Caucus,” Pelosi wrote in a letter to the caucus, requesting their support for speaker.
In an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo Thursday night, Pelosi said she is “100 percent” certain she will be elected speaker.
But Pelosi’s critics are whipping their newly elected colleagues to join their ranks. On a two-hour call Wednesday night, eight of the anti-Pelosi members currently in Congress weighed their options for how to best challenge Pelosi. The members discussed who would reach out to the incoming freshmen to assure them that they won’t be alone in their opposition to the California Democrat.
The call, organized by Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., included Democratic Reps. Brian Higgins of New York, Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Tim Ryan of Ohio, Kurt Schrader of Oregon, Filemon Vela of Texas, Marcia Fudge of Ohio, and Bill Foster of Illinois, according to a source involved in the discussion.
The group discussed crafting a letter declaring they would vote against Pelosi on the floor of the House no matter what happens in the private caucus vote after Thanksgiving. At the start of each new Congress, members vote for the speaker of the House on the floor of the chamber. Pelosi needs a majority — 218 if every member votes. Assuming all Republican members vote for a GOP candidate and no Democrats vote “present” in protest rather than no, Pelosi will need 218.
Reps. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., and Conor Lamb, D-Pa., are also among a group of members planning to vote against Pelosi.
As it stands, there are roughly 10 current members who are bent on voting against Pelosi on the floor of the House. Those members expect their numbers to increase when the new members join.
There are at least 10 incoming members who voiced strong opposition to Pelosi during their campaigns. That group includes Jason Crow of Colorado, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, Mikie Sherril of New Jersey, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, and Jahana Hayes of Connecticut. But it’s unclear if the 10 will commit to voting against her on the floor — a bold step to take after Pelosi is expected to win support in a private caucus vote.
Ahead of the private caucus vote, Pelosi has ample time to persuade incoming freshmen with committee assignments and reminders of the millions she raised that probably aided their campaigns.
But as some detractors have pointed out, many of the newly elected Democrats won in red districts by narrow margins. And if those freshmen made statements calling for new leadership, or saying they’d vote against Pelosi, how can they turn around and explain a vote for her on the floor of the House?
Republicans are sure to use the floor vote against those members next cycle. By Thursday afternoon, two days after the election, the Republican National Committee sent out an email asking, “Who will break their Pelosi promise?”
The email listed 13 incoming members who said they’d either oppose Pelosi or vote for someone else, and another 19 who avoided the Pelosi question or said they wanted to wait to make a decision until they were elected.
If the 10 incumbents vowing to vote against Pelosi on the floor are able to add the freshmen members to their ranks, there could as many as 15 to 20 members lined up to vote against Pelosi on the floor. Democrats could end up with a 229 or 234-seat majority once the outstanding House races are officially called. And if 20 commit to oppose her, she could fall short.
The situation is fluid, though, as Pelosi’s supporters argue that she is not only a master vote counter, but an effective negotiator. And the fact that no one is declaring a bid against Pelosi makes it less likely that members will defect.
“You know you can’t beat someone with no one,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill. “We certainly haven’t heard a name, and I think that’s because most Democrats understand that she is the only one who is really ready to be the speaker of the House of Representatives.”
