Nancy Pelosi has decided to take a step-back from politics. She attributes her decision to the midterm elections, which left Republicans with a slight majority over the Democrats in the House of Representatives, and the attack on her husband Paul, which caused him to have a skull fracture, among other injuries. Pelosi is 82 years old.
Pelosi will lose the Speaker position due to the House position being given to a Republican, probably Representative Kevin McCarthy, but she said she will step down from being the leader of the Democratic Party in the House. She will give up committee assignments and be less involved in politics.
She said that there is more to life than politics, and loves to sing and dance.
Pelosi has been the Democratic party’s leader in the House 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.
Pelosi said that the attack on her husband Paul last month was traumatic for her and made her think about what she wanted to do in Congress until her term ends in January 2025.
On Thursday, November 10, she announced that she was ready to take a smaller role, saying she felt good about her decision to let a new generation of leaders take over in the party. She will serve her remaining term as the San Francisco Congresswoman.
Speaker Pelosi was elected to Congress in 1987 when the House only had 12 women members.
Pelosi was candid about the attack on her husband, and said that the attack 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 involved in politics.
She also said that if her party had been able to retain control of the House, she might not have decided to step down.
Nancy Pelosi will serve as House Speaker until a new Congress takes over in January 2023. She will then remain as Congresswoman for San Francisco until January 2025.
