Rep. Nancy Pelosi has all but ensured that she’ll be elected House speaker in January by agreeing to limit how long she’d serve in the post to no more than four additional years.
The California Democrat says in a written statement Wednesday that she is “comfortable” with the plan. Moments after she released her statement, seven rebellious Democrats said they would now back her.
That essentially guaranteed she will be elected speaker when the full House votes for its leader on Jan. 3.
A small group of unhappy Democrats — potentially enough to thwart her drive to win the job — had been threatening to vote against her unless she agreed to limit her service. The group wants the party’s aging leaders to step aside for a new generation.
Here’s Pelosi’s full statement:
House Democrats won a decisive victory in November, winning a historic majority of at least 40 seats by nearly 10 million votes.
Over the summer, I made it clear that I see myself as a bridge to the next generation of leaders, a recognition of my continuing responsibility to mentor and advance new Members into positions of power and responsibility in the House Democratic Caucus.
For some time, there have been a number of conversations to advance a proposal to institute term limits for senior leadership positions in our Caucus. This proposal, which was developed by Members who care about the institution of the House of Representatives, would provide that Members in senior leadership positions can serve 3 terms with an additional term with two-thirds support of the Caucus. It would include the two terms of the Democratic Majority from 2007 to 2011.
It is my understanding that Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries and incoming Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern plan to bring up this proposal for a discussion and a vote by February 15th. I am comfortable with the proposal and it is my intention to abide by it whether it passes or not.
