Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Democrat of Ohio, has just endorsed Leader Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker of the House. Rep. Fudge is the only Democrat who has stated publicly they were even considering challenging the former Speaker.
“I now join my colleagues in support of the leadership team of Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn,” Fudge said in a statement:
Pelosi’s speakership is not yet guaranteed. There are 16 House Democrats who have vowed to not support her candidacy. But progressive groups, from Indivisible to MoveOn to Daily Kos have warned that they support Pelosi and suggested they could primary Democrats who do not.
Rep. Fudge for the past week had been strongly suggesting she might enter the race to become the next Speaker of the House. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi’s response was, “Come on in, the water’s warm.”
Pelosi last week sat down with Fudge, a five-term Congresswoman who has never faced a serious political challenge from Republicans or a serious primary challenge.
After that meeting Fudge sounded somewhat less interested, noting the role’s requirements are challenging.
“It’s a lot to travel every single weekend. It’s a lot to do all the fundraising,” Rep. Fudge said, as Roll Call reported. “It’s a lot to juggle all of the things that our caucus, which is more diverse now and bigger, is going to need.”
Fudge would also have had to answer the question NCRM has posed: Why is she one of only two House Democrats who refused to support the LGBT Equality Act? NCRM reached out to Congresswoman Fudge’s office but they have refused to provide any response.
Image by Tim Evanson via Flickr and a CC license