By Russell Berman & Michael OBrien The Hill
The Speaker announced her decision via Twitter saying: Driven by the urgency of creating jobs & protecting healthcare reform Wall Street reform Social Security
& Medicare I am running for Dem Leader. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) rejecting calls from conservative party members that she step down in the wake of devastating midterm election losses is running for House Democratic leader.
The surprise move ends days of uncertainty about her future and sets up a potentially divisive battle between liberals and centrists in the House Democratic caucus. Pelosi had been widely expected to step down after her party was blown out in a GOP wave that captured the House majority for Republicans.
But earlier in the week the Speaker signaled in interviews her desire to stay and began making calls to surviving Democratic members to gauge their support. Her move immediately throws into question the future of outgoing Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) who had planned to run for minority leader if Pelosi stepped aside.
Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) a conservative Democrat and another longtime critic of Pelosi said he cannot in good conscience support her as minority leader and would support a more conservative Democrat instead.
Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) and Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) the co-chairman of the Blue Dog Democrats have also said that Pelosi should step aside joining the other incumbent Democrats and candidates who had said they would oppose Pelosi as Speaker during the closing weeks of the campaign.
Within minutes of Pelosis announcement a spokeswoman for Democratic caucus chairman Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) told The Hill he would run to keep his post as the No. 4 Democrat. Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) has already said he wants to retain his position. That could leave Hoyer as the odd man out but Larson and possibly Clyburn could be challenged for their leadership posts.
Pelosis announcement came as battle lines had already begun to emerge over her possible bid. Liberal Democrats are mobilizing in support of Pelosi remaining at the head of the party in the 112th Congress while some centrists said she should step aside.
Democrats tend to be more kind to our leader when they have a loss said Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) the longest-serving member of the House on Detroits WJR Radio. She can run and probably get elected. I think she has a good chance of doing that.
Though deeply unpopular with the broader public Pelosi remains well-regarded in a caucus that will lean more liberal after the more conservative
Blue Dog Coalition was decimated in the midterms.
Outside liberal groups are already organizing support for Pelosi. Americans United for Change launched an email campaign on Friday encouraging supporters to send a personal note to Speaker Pelosi about how much you appreciate her leadership and to make sure she knows that we still support her.
The liberal website Daily Kos started a similar online petition.
Democrats lost because they didnt fight hard enough for popular progressive reforms in the last two years. The Democratic leader least culpable of doing that is Nancy Pelosi" the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee Adam Green said in an interview before Pelosis announcement. Shes the last person among Democratic Party leaders who should step down."
After the Pelosi tweet Green called her decision the first bold move weve seen from Democrats since the election."
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) the co-chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus also voiced support for Pelosi.
She could be anything she wants to be Woolsey told The San Francisco Chronicle. I think she will evaluate and weigh what is best for the Democratic Party and what it is that she wants.
But for as far as liberals have gotten out in front of Pelosis decision centrists have been just as vocal about their opposition to the Speaker.
I dont think its likely that I would support her were she to run for minority leader Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) said Thursday evening on Fox News.
I dont know who the other candidates are going to be but if she is one of the candidates I probably wont vote that way.
