Would-be speaker admits impatience in party
She needs 15 more votes in Jan.
WASHINGTON — Nancy Pelosi was nominated by fellow Democrats to be House speaker yesterday, but she still faces a showdown vote when the full House convenes in January.
Pelosi entered the closed-door caucus election in an unusual position — running unopposed for the nomination despite the clamor by some Democrats for new leadership. The lopsided 20332 tally showed both the weakness of her opposition but also the challenges ahead.
Pelosi was nominated by Rep. Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts, with no fewer than eight colleagues seconding the choice, including Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, the civil rights leader, and three newly elected lawmakers.
Democrats voted to return their entire top leadership team, including Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland in the No. 2 spot as majority leader and Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina in the No. 3 spot as whip. They were running unopposed.
In a letter to colleagues ahead of voting, Pelosi gave a nod to those clamoring for change.
“We all agree that history is in a hurry, and we need to accelerate the pace of change in Congress,” she wrote, noting the “historic” class of new first-term lawmakers, the largest since Watergate, who led Democrats to the majority in the midterm election.
Pelosi still lacks the votes she’ll need in January, when the new Congress convenes, to ascend to the post.
One member who signed a letter being circulated by opponents, Rep. Linda Sanchez of California, said the real fight will come in January.
“The battle is the floor,” Sanchez said.
Those trying to oust Pelosi say they always knew the internal caucus election would fall in her favor. She needed only a simple majority of Democrats, who have a 233-seat majority, with several races still undecided, to win the nomination.
But she’ll need 218 votes in January, half the full 435-seat House, which is harder, if all Republicans vote against her, as is likely — though she could win with fewer votes if some lawmakers are absent or vote present.
Opponents, who insist there will be more than enough votes to stop Pelosi in January, say only with a floor fight in view will new leaders emerge. They say there are plenty of Democrats who could step up to the job.