Following the midterm elections, which handled the House of Representatives to the Republicans by a slim majority, and the brutal attack on her husband, Paul, in a house break-in, which resulted in serious injuries, Nancy Pelosi is taking a step back from politics. She has decided to give up the Speaker position, which would end in January 2023 when the Republicans fill the spot and will remain in her elected post until her term ends, but she will give up committee assignments and be less involved in politics within the Democratic Party.
She says she wants to live her life, and sing and dance.
Nancy Pelosi has been the leader of the Democrats in the US House of Representatives for nearly 20 years. She announced her decision after much soul-searching and discussion with close colleagues and family. Speaker Pelosi, who is the most powerful Democrat in Congress, is also the first woman Speaker of the House.
Speaker Pelosi said that last month’s attack on her husband, Paul Pelosi, had a huge effect on her and at first she felt motivated to stay in her position because she did not want to give people critical of her the satisfaction of intimidating her out of politics.
However, on Thursday, November 10, she announced that she was ready to step down, saying she felt good about her decision to let a new generation of leaders take over. She will serve her remaining term as the San Francisco Congresswoman, but will not endorse anyone to succeed her as Speaker.
Pelosi, now 82 years old, chose to speak to reporters in the Board of Education room, which has historically only been frequented by men in Congress.
Pelosi was first elected to Congress in 1987 when the House only had 12 women members. When asked what made her step down, she said she had been thinking about leaving for a while because there is more to life than politics, adding that she wants to do other things like singing and dancing.
Pelosi was candid about the attack on her husband. She said that the attack on Paul, which left him with a fractured skull, had played a considerable role in her decision, and that the fact that the intruder was looking for her when he broke in, and had threatened her life as well, was a motivating factor to be less in the public eye.
The results of the midterm elections also weighed in on her decision. She said that if her party had been able to retain control of the House, then maybe she would not have decided to step down.
Stepping away from her reputation as a compelling figure who is very involved in Congressional matters, Pelosi said that she would not be playing a role in guiding the leaders who succeed her. It remains to be seen how “uninvolved” Pelosi will be.
Nancy Pelosi will remain as Congresswoman for San Francisco until January 2025.