Yahoo News Explains: Is Nancy Pelosi going to be House speaker again?
Nancy Pelosi is running a fierce campaign to be elected speaker of the House of Representatives. While her supporters say she has the votes, others aren’t so sure.
But whether you like her or hate her, you know her — at least her name.
The current minority leader of the House — and only woman to be speaker — has been in the political sphere for more than four decades.
Pelosi, who started as a member of the Democratic National Committee in 1976, slowly worked her way up to the House after a 1987 special election.
In 2001, she was elected the House minority whip, and she became the minority leader only a year later.
The 78-year-old is the highest-ranking woman in American politics, and in American political history.
But with vast power comes vast attack ads.
The New York Times reported that during the 2018 midterms, Republicans ran more than 61,000 attack ads featuring her.
This could be because Pelosi is one of the Democrats’ best fundraisers. She’s brought in half of every dollar raised by the DNC.
And that could come in handy when it comes to the upcoming vote for the new speaker of the House.
To win the speaker role, 218 votes are needed — and Democrats now control 232.
President Trump even offered to help Pelosi get Republican votes.
I can get Nancy Pelosi as many votes as she wants in order for her to be Speaker of the House. She deserves this victory, she has earned it – but there are those in her party who are trying to take it away. She will win! @TomReedCongress
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 17, 2018
Whether Pelosi wins or loses, it’s clear she’s solidified her place as an unforgettable force in Washington.
