At 9:00 AM ET Speaker Nancy Pelosi kicked off a meeting with the House Democratic Caucus to reveal her future plans after Republicans officially won the majority on Wednesday. Afterwards, she is expected to deliver remarks live sharing her decision.
“Pelosi took home two different speeches last night, one for each potential scenario, a source told us,” Punchbowl News reports.
UPDATE: Watch live below or at this link.
The Speaker “has been overwhelmed by calls from colleagues, friends and supporters,” her Deputy Chief of Staff, Drew Hammill, said late Wednesday night.
“This evening, the Speaker monitored returns in the three remaining critical states,” he added. “The Speaker plans to address her future plans tomorrow to her colleagues. Stay tuned.”
Minutes later Pelosi took to Twitter to applaud her Democratic members who “defied expectations.”
Many see House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries of New York as Pelosi’s logical successor for Democratic Minority Leader should she step down.
Speaker Pelosi, 82, won re-election in her home district with nearly 84% of the vote. She is the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and has held the gavel twice.
In 2018 she did announce she would step down after four years, and recently she told a reporter the violent and almost deadly attack on her husband in their San Franciso home by a madman bludgeoning his head with a hammer would influence her decision.
But Pelosi, one of the most effective and successful Speakers in U.S. history, accomplished almost the impossible: holding back what experts said would be a large GOP House majority. While all the races have not been declared, experts say Republicans will have about 222 seats, just four more than the 218 need for majority.
Many Americans were impressed with her expertise after the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack released never-before seen footage of Pelosi on January 6, 2021, clearly in charge, calling for the National Guard and Defense Dept. to protect the Capitol and lawmakers.
She is also a massive fundraiser, taking in millions each year for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which supports Democratic House candidates. In 2018, for example, when some were questioning her leadership, CNN reported some Democrats “running for the House have shunned Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi – but they may have to thank her for their seats if they win this fall.”
“Through June, Pelosi had raised an eye-popping $83 million for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2018 election cycle, more than double the next closest Democrat.”
Over the past two decades she has brought in over $1 billion for House Democrats.
“Since assuming the party’s House leadership in 2002, she has brought in $1.25 billion for Democrats, according to a party tally,” The New York Times reported last month, “including $42.7 million in the third quarter of this year alone. Her haul so far this election cycle is $276 million, reaped at more than 400 events. Just this month, she has visited more than 20 cities.”
Watch live below or at this link.