US House Speaker Pelosi To Step Down From Democratic Leadership

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she will not seek reelection to the Democratic Party’s congressional leadership after Republicans narrowly regained control of the chamber.

She said she will step down as the leader of the Democrats in the US House of Representatives.

An 82-year-old California liberal, Pelosi made this announcement during a speech on the House floor on Thursday.

Pelosi, who in 2007 became the first woman to serve as the speaker, has been the top House Democratic lawmaker for nearly 20 years.

She will, however, continue to represent her California district in the lower chamber of Congress.

“With great confidence in our caucus, I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” Pelosi said.

“For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect, and I’m grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility.”

Pelosi will serve as speaker until January when a new Congress takes over and will remain in the seat she first took up in 1987 until January 2025.

New York congressman Hakeem Jeffries is widely expected to take up the top Democratic leadership post in the House, which would make him the first black congressional leader in US history.