House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi met Friday with Ohio Democrat Marcia Fudge, who is mulling a run against Pelosi for the speaker’s gavel.
Pelosi and Fudge met in the leader’s Capitol office ahead of a weeklong Thanksgiving break. The pair met for about 45 minutes and “had a candid and respectful conversation,” Pelosi said in a brief statement.
The two were brought together by Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., a senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus who supports Pelosi’s return to being House speaker.
The meeting comes as Fudge is involved in a campaign with other insurgent Democrats to oust Pelosi, who has led the caucus for 16 years. Seventeen Democrats, including Fudge, have signed onto a letter, pledging to vote against Pelosi on the floor in January regardless the outcome of a private caucus vote on Nov. 28.
“I love Marcia Fudge, I’m encouraging her to do this,” said Rep Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, who is helping lead the campaign against Pelosi. “Marcia Fudge has a national network of people who support her.”
A number of Congressional Black Caucus members have lined up behind Pelosi, but if Fudge decides to run, she likely could peel away some of those members. Fudge previously served as chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus and is close friends with a number of the members.
“If Marcia Fudge did anything except run against Jim Clyburn, then I’d probably be for her, but it’s not a race now. But that’s a decision for Marcia,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La.
As things stand, the math doesn’t look good for Pelosi. On top of the 17 firmly opposed, there are at least five other members who are expected to vote against Pelosi on the floor, denying her the 218 necessary votes to be elected speaker — assuming every member votes. But Pelosi remains confident that she will ultimately prevail when the House votes for a new speaker in January.
“It’s not very well thought out — if you even want to call it a plan,” said Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., a staunch Pelosi ally. “Who is the opponent?“
Pelosi loyalists have threatened to retaliate if the group of rebels deny Pelosi the speakership. The majority of Democratic members plan to support Pelosi, and if she is toppled, they will turn around a deny any candidate the insurgency puts forward.
“It could be a bloodbath,” said New York Democrat Kathleen Rice, who opposes Pelosi. “There have been times in history when it’s taken more than one round of votes, and that may be where we end up.”
Democrats will hold their leadership elections on Nov. 28 in a private caucus vote. The party’s speaker nominee must still win a majority of the House when the new Congress opens, in a public vote.
