N.Y. Dem reverses course, now says he’ll back Pelosi for speaker
New York Democratic Rep. Brian Higgins announced Wednesday he will support Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s bid for House speaker, despite having signed a letter opposing the House minority leader released earlier this week.
Mr. Higgins’ support removes another obstacle between Ms. Pelosi and the speaker’s gavel.
“Following conversations with Nancy and other Caucus leaders, I have renewed confidence that more voices will be heard, that members will each have greater opportunities to advance policies meaningful to the communities and country we love,” Mr. Higgins said in a statement.
Mr. Higgins told CNN that he and Ms. Pelosi had spoken “five times in the last 72 hours” in order to get his commitments to change course and back her for speaker. Mr. Higgins said Ms. Pelosi did not tell him when she would leave the speakership, but that he believes she is likely to bow out after the 2020 elections.
Mr. Higgins said he got Ms. Pelosi to commit to prioritizing a $1 trillion infrastructure bill and a measure to allow people 50 and older to buy into Medicare.
Ms. Pelosi has been working hard this fall to win support from her caucus to become the next House speaker after Democrats take over the majority next year, in spite of some members of her caucus and Democratic candidates in the midterms running on a campaign pledge of calling for new party leadership.
Ms. Pelosi held the position of speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011, but in Monday’s letter, 16 Democrats called for a leadership change following what had been a simmering resistance from within the party.
“As we head toward the 116th Congress and reclaim our Democratic majority, we believe more strongly than ever that the time has come for new leadership,” the letter said.
Mr. Higgins told CNN it was clear that the group of Pelosi detractors has no real alternative or strategy right now. He said it makes no sense for the detractors to pursue this fight and force the speaker’s vote on the floor to go to a second or third ballot.
Ms. Pelosi has maintained confidence she’ll be the next speaker and has met privately with critics to hear their concerns. Mr. Higgins’ announcement also follows Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge’s endorsement of Ms. Pelosi on Tuesday. Ms. Fudge had weighed challenging Ms. Pelosi for speaker and had been her most likely potential challenger. Ms. Fudge and Ms. Pelosi met last week.
Some members of the group of detractors, including Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Colorado, have asked Ms. Pelosi to say she’s leaving at a certain time. But Mr. Higgins said that in their talks Ms. Pelosi did not specify her timetable — and would not say who her preferred candidate is to succeed her, largely because she would be accused of playing favorites.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ms. Pelosi said she was “honored” by Mr. Higgins’ support.