House Democrats nominate Pelosi for speaker, pick other leaders

WASHINGTON — House Democrats emerged from behind closed doors Wednesday with new party leaders for the 116th Congress.

Democrats overwhelmingly nominated Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for House speaker after she quelled a mini-rebellion from a handful of lawmakers who sought a change in their leadership team.

Pelosi helped engineer the “blue wave” that saw Democrats win in suburban districts from coast to coast, reclaiming control of the House from Republicans saddled with an unpopular president and the historic trend that the party in control of the White House loses seats in midterm elections.

While Republicans were divided going into the election, Democrats emerged divided, with progressives seeking changes in rules and the appropriation of power, and centrist Democrats in more conservative districts seeking a change in leadership.

Pelosi sought to assuage the differing interests and prevailed with a 203-32 vote. Despite the opposition within the ranks, Pelosi did not face a challenger.

Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., said she supported Pelosi. Asked about Pelosi’s detractors, Titus said, “You can’t beat somebody with nobody.”

Nominated by Democrats, Pelosi now faces a vote of the full House on the speaker race when the new Congress is sworn in Jan. 3, 2019. Titus predicted Pelosi would secure the 218 votes needed to win from Democrats who voted against her this week.

“She’s very masterful in pulling them over and giving them something to be on her side,” Titus said.

Rep.-elect Steven Horsford, D-Nev., would not reveal how he voted in leadership races. He said it was a “secret ballot.”

Nevada’s other new Democratic House lawmaker, Susie Lee, had signed onto a letter by freshmen women Democrats supporting Pelosi for speaker.

The divisions in the caucus, though, threaten to cleave new leadership, as the conservative Freedom Caucus did to past Republican leaders. Pelosi agreed to some rule changes that would give freshmen, conservatives and progressives in the party more clout on legislation moving forward.

Pelosi was speaker in 2010 when Republicans reclaimed the House following President Barack Obama’s election and the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Democrats said health care and concerns about coverage and rising costs helped them win back the House in November elections, following Republican repeal of portions of the ACA.

Democrats picked other leaders in their closed-door caucus meeting, designed to give lawmakers freedom to speak out on their views and the direction the House should take on policy, legislation and oversight matters with a Republican-controlled Senate and President Donald Trump in the White House.

Those new Democratic leaders do not face additional votes.

House Republicans picked their leaders last week.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.