In threat to Pelosi, 16 Democrats say they will back new House leadership

WASHINGTON — Sixteen Democrats who’ve opposed Nancy Pelosi’s quest to become speaker released a letter Monday saying they will vote for “new leadership” when the House picks its leaders in January, underscoring a significant threat to her effort to lead her party’s House majority in the next Congress.

The letter suggests that rather than spending the next six weeks focusing on a fresh agenda, House Democrats could be consumed with a bitter internal leadership fight.

The battle pits the party’s largely liberal and diverse membership backing Ms. Pelosi, DCalif., the current minority

leader, against a small group of mostly moderate men. Of the 16 who signed the letter all but two are men: Reps. Kathleen Rice of New York and California’s Linda Sanchez.

“We promised to change the status quo, and we intend to deliver on that promise,” the authors wrote, referring to campaign pledges. “Therefore, we are committed to voting for new leadership in both our Caucus meeting and on the House Floor.”

Ms. Pelosi has mounted an aggressive campaign for the job involving House colleagues, prominent outside Democrats and party-aligned interest groups. She is aided by the lack of a declared opponent.

“Leader Pelosi remains confident in her support among Members and Members-elect,” spokesman Drew Hammill said in a written statement.

Though the mavericks’ numbers represent a handful of the 232 House Democrats elected, plus five races still undecided, they could still garner enough opposition to thwart her.

Ms. Pelosi seems certain to have enough support to become her party’s nominee for speaker when House Democrats vote by secret ballot on Nov. 28. She will need only a majority of Democrats in that contest.

Of the letter’s signees, five are incoming House freshmen or hope to be. Two of them — Anthony Brindisi of New York and Ben McAdams of Utah — are in races in which The Associated Press has yet to call a winner.

Others were incumbents Jim Cooper of Tennessee; Bill Foster of Illinois; Brian Higgins of New York; Stephen Lynch and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts; Ed Perlmutter of Colorado; Tim Ryan of Ohio; Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Filemon Vela of Texas. Incoming freshmen were Joe Cunningham of South Carolina, Max Rose from New York and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey.