Whether or not their party wins back control of the chamber in November, House Democratic leadership will probably have to fight off some kind of shake-up attempt this fall.
If Democrats fail to secure a majority, Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., assistant minority leader, says he’ll willingly cede his spot in the inner circle. “All of us have got to go,” he told Politico last weekend, discussing the possibility his party is still in the minority after Election Day.
The decision by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to retire after his current term breathed new life into the chatter among some younger Democrats about replacing House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. As an ally of Pelosi, Clyburn’s comments give those concerns some validity. They also set a standard that will be tough to walk back should Republicans manage to keep control of the lower chamber in November. It’s effectively throwing fuel on the fire that’s creeping closer to Pelosi, who will also now probably face questions about whether she agrees with her deputy’s assessment, which, in turn, will keep the story alive in the media.
To be sure, Pelosi has plenty of resources to extinguish those flames — winning on Nov. 6 being the most obvious.
