The announcement, which came shortly after late midterm results had officially flipped House control to the Republicans, sent shockwaves across Capitol Hill, as lawmakers in both parties grappled with the thought of a Democratic House without Pelosi at the helm.
But a vast majority of Republicans skipped the event, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.).
Only one member of the GOP leadership team was on hand: Rep. Steve Scalise (La), the Republican whip, who gave Pelosi a standing ovation at the end.
Nancy Pelosi in 1984, working as head of the Democratic National Committee’s San Francisco host committee.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi after being elected as the first woman Speaker during a swearing in ceremony for the 110th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol January 4, 2007 (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images).
“I’m not a House historian, but what I hear from House historians is [she’s] probably the strongest Speaker of the House we have seen in many, many, many years,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), another close Pelosi ally.
Jeffries, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, is widely viewed as the favorite to replace Pelosi. »