House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Friday formally requested two more years in the role following a lackluster performance for House Democrats, losing at least seven seats.
“Our vision for the next two years must be built on the success of Democratic House Majority in the 116th Congress, and to harness the extraordinary visions, values and vibrancy of our Caucus to secure the progress that the American people deserve,” Pelosi wrote in a letter to colleagues on Friday.
“In that spirit, I am writing to request your support to be re-elected as Speaker,” she continued. “I do so with utmost respect for the diverse viewpoints in our Democratic Caucus, the gravity of this role the urgency of the challenges ahead.”
“I also do so with the great joy and appreciation to so many of you who have already offered your support,” she added, following on from a promise she made over the weekend.
In the letter, Pelosi stated that the American people voted for Democrats “up and down the ballot with a resounding and remarkable mandate for progress and healing” and vowed to work with “President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris” to “advance extraordinary change For The People.” Such change included “championing” progress for the LGBTQ Americans as well as removing “barriers to the ballot box.”
Biden and Harris were not president-elect or vice president-elect, respectively, at the time of the release of Pelosi’s letter.
Despite the tone of optimism, Pelosi and her colleagues were reportedly shaken by the lack of a blue wave, particularly in the House.
Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair Cheri Bustos (D-IL) promised on Thursday to conduct a “post mortem” following their losses in the House. Instead of expanding their majority, they lost at least seven seats. Republicans increased their minority, adding pro-life women to Congress:
Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), in a narrow race of her own, did not take kindly to the Democrats’ losses, reportedly telling her colleagues that defund the police almost cost her an election. She also pleaded with them to ditch the word “socialism.”
“We have to commit to not saying the words ‘defund the police’ ever again,” Spanberger said.
“We need to not ever use the words socialist or socialism ever again,” she continued. “It does matter, and we have lost good members because of that”:
“Republicans defied the odds and grew our party last night. In districts all across the country, Americans rejected socialism and voted for freedom,” House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said following the Democrats’ losses. “Nancy Pelosi: you’ve been put on notice.”
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