Echoes of Pelosi as new leadership era begins for Democrats
>> A new generation of House Democratic leaders taking over for Nancy Pelosi debuted at the party's annual retreat, feisty and fired up to brag about their accomplishments with President Joe Biden and counter Speaker Kevin McCarthy's new Republican majority.
The team led by New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who made history as the first Black American to helm a major political party in Congress, brings a wholesale reshuffling of congressional leadership eager to run alongside Biden if he seeks a second term in 2024 and as they work win back the House majority. Pelosi and her circle stepped aside after some 20 years to make way for the new crew.
“All of us share the same goal: That is to safeguard the progress that we have made for the last two years and to make sure Democrats take the House again in 2024,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, who holds the No. 3 spot as caucus chairman, in opening the three-day party gathering.
But echoes of Pelosi are everywhere: from the location of the retreat in the former speaker's Baltimore hometown to the Pelosi-isms sprinkled into the speeches, breakout sessions and catchphrases of the new wave of Democrats.
As Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, the second-ranking leader, introduced a dozen women newly elected to Congress and asked them to explain their reasons for seeking public office, she reached into the well of Pelosi sayings.
“Speaker Emerita Pelosi taught us to `know our why,'” Clark said, as she turned it over to the newcomers.
Rep. Becca Balint, the first woman elected to Congress from Vermont, spoke of fighting for the “soul of democracy.”
“Trailblazers and tots,” said new Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, a civil rights lawyer now representing a Dallas-area congressional seat, giving a nod to the Shirley Chisolm, the first Black woman in Congress, and the importance of supporting children. Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois cited her pregnant
mother's journey as an immigrant from Guatemala crossing the U.S.-Mexico border to give her child a better life.
“The Speaker Emeritus always says: Our diversity is our strength, and our unity is our power,” Crockett said, noting the diverse class of first-term congresswoman.
Pelosi and her team have stayed on as influential members of Congress, an unusual but not unprecedented situation.
The former No. 2 Democrat, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, has been tapped for a new role heading up a group giving voice to the geographic diversity of the Democratic caucus beyond the coasts and into the heartland.
Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the thirdranking party figure last year, remains at the leadership table as the assistant Democratic leader.
As Democrats are finding, it's much easier to remain politically unified as the minority party. The absence of public tensions and infighting is in stark contrast to the divisions plaguing House Republicans, who have been forced to shelve some of their high priority bills on border security and other issues because they cannot agree on solutions.
It's a turnaround for Democrats from when they had majority control. Back then, they stumbled through interparty battles between progressives and moderates as they debated Biden's agenda and ultimately ushered the bipartisan infrastructure package and their own health care and climate change bill into law.
Biden implored Democrats in his speech late Wednesday to go out and sell their accomplishments across the country. McCarthy, R-Calif., has a slim majority hold on the House, and Democrats are eyeing the five seats they need in the 2024 election to regain control of the chamber.