Chattanooga Times Free Press

Pelosi defends her party leadership

- BY ERICA WERNER

WASHINGTON — Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi defended her leadership, and her job, on Thursday in the face of needling from President Donald Trump and grumbling from fellow House Democrats exasperate­d after a high-profile special election loss.

“So you want me to sing my praises, is that what you’re saying?” the California Democrat remarked dismissive­ly to reporters when asked why she should stay on as leader. “Well, I’m a master legislator. I’m a strategic, politicall­y astute leader. My leadership is recognized by many around the country.”

“That is why I’m able to attract the support that I do, which is essential to our elections, sad to say,” Pelosi added, in a reference to her unparallel­ed fundraisin­g hauls.

Pelosi’s defiant comments came as Democrats remained angry and divided after throwing some $30 million into a House race in Georgia on Tuesday, only to end up with a loss that wasn’t even very close. Republican Karen Handel beat Democrat Jon Ossoff by about 5 percentage points in the suburban Atlanta district previously represente­d by Tom Price, now the Health and Human Services secretary.

Democrats lost another race in South Carolina that same night, and that followed previous disappoint­ments in Montana and Kansas.

All the races were on GOP-friendly terrain. Pelosi and other Democratic leaders insisted they demonstrat­ed important progress by coming in a close second, and have a good shot at taking back the House in next year’s midterm elections. They must pick up 24 seats to do so.

But some rank-and-file House Democrats scoffed at such explanatio­ns and raised questions about Pelosi’s continued leadership. A group of her critics met Thursday in New York Democratic Rep. Kathleen Rice’s office, though it was not clear what if anything would come of it.

“If we take back the House in 2018 then I think she’d stay leader,” said Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. “If we don’t, then I think it’s incumbent upon her and all of us to reassess who our leadership should be.”

Trump himself weighed in over Twitter Thursday morning with digs at Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

“I certainly hope the Democrats do not force Nancy P out. That would be very bad for the Republican Party — and please let Cryin’ Chuck stay!” Trump wrote.

Pelosi brushed off the tweet, contending Trump hadn’t actually written it himself because “it’s a classic Republican line.”

In fact Pelosi, 77, has emerged as a favorite GOP bogeyman and was the target of a barrage of negative advertisin­g in the Georgia House race, mocking her as a San Francisco liberal and tying her to Ossoff.

The apparent effectiven­ess of such attacks alarmed some fellow Democrats, and they show no signs of letting up. On Thursday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent out a press release attacking Nevada Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen over her ties to Pelosi. Rosen is a likely candidate for Senate against the most endangered GOP Senate incumbent, Dean Heller of Nevada.

 ?? THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaks to reporters during a news conference Thursday in Washington.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaks to reporters during a news conference Thursday in Washington.

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