“It’s your job, frankly, to help us with this transition, to help us create a succession plan. I don’t want it to be the kind of thing that people are afraid to verbalize it, because, ‘The announcer is still in power and I don’t want to interfere with it,’ ”said Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), Who supported Pelosi and says he wants a broad discussion about his successor.
Pelosi, for his part, said publicly and privately that it is up to the caucus to choose its leaders and it has no plans to choose a successor.
“I don’t think anyone should be considered the heir apparent to that chair,” added Wild, who is starting his second term.
Publicly, most Democrats insist they are focused on the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and looking to Pelosi’s leadership to strengthen his agenda – particularly more relief for Covid – through a narrowly divided House. But in particular, Democratic lawmakers and advisers acknowledge that they are already bracing for the inevitable tension that can arise between the most powerful speaker of a lifetime and Democrats auditioning to replace her and her former deputies.
Democrats are already looking closely at the small picture of their colleagues whose names have been suggested for the most important posts, including Caucus Democrat President Hakeem Jeffries, former Caucus Black president Karen Bass and President of the Intelligence Chamber, Adam Schiff, as a speaker. Assistant speaker Katherine Clark, Vice President Pete Aguilar and Progressive Caucus President Pramila Jayapal were also mentioned for senior positions.
None has publicly confirmed any potential ambitions – doing so would be considered taboo within the caucus. But they all have advantages that can help them move forward if there is a leadership vacuum at the top.
Jeffries (DN.Y.) and Clark (D-Mass.) Both have prominent leadership positions, giving them experience, fundraising skills and a built-in support base; Schiff (D-Calif.) He is a great fundraiser and close ally to Pelosi; Bass (D-Calif.) Has proven experience as a speaker at the California State Assembly and former head of the influential Congressional Black Caucus.
Aguilar is in the lead and is a beloved member of Congressional Hispanic Caucus; and Jayapal recently successfully moved to consolidate the progressive power behind her as head of the CPC, although some question her support base beyond the liberals.
Asked about the caucus’ attention already starting to turn to the next leadership contest, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) He joked: “Of course, we are politicians, that’s all we do”.
Many Democrats say they are not sure whether Pelosi will give up the hammer in 2022, although the California Democrat publicly committed himself to just two more terms in 2018 as part of an agreement to secure the votes he needed to claim the Hammer’s hammer. speaker.
Several Democrats said they could see a scenario where the three main current House leaders – Pelosi, the House majority leader, Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) And the House majority leader, Jim Clyburn (DS.C. ) – try to stay if your party controls the House, Senate and White House. Others predicted that if the Democrats lost the House in 2022, it would trigger an automatic energy exchange.
Hoyer, who was not ashamed of his desire to be a speaker one day and, like Clyburn, is irritated by term limits, was mentioned as a potential “bridge” for a new generation of leadership if Pelosi leaves. But others say the most likely scenario is for the top three leaders, all in their 80s, to leave at the same time.
In private meetings, lawmakers and advisers say Pelosi has given no indication of his schedule or thinking behind his departure, although she has publicly hinted at leaving after this term. And several Democrats have predicted that when Pelosi decides to leave, she will do so on her terms and that will come as a surprise to most.
“I know there is a lot of talk about this being Madam Orator’s last term, but I don’t know if that is true. Frankly, until I hear that, my vote is with her, ”said Bass, who some Democrats mentioned as a possible speaker after she was publicly considered a Cabinet leader and Biden’s vice president.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Another ally of Pelosi, said he interpreted his comments as if she would be gone in two years and hopes that candidates will soon begin to position themselves for the most important positions.
“I think people know that there will be new leadership in two years and they understand that. She has been very open about it, ”said Khanna. “I think it will be an open field.”
But some Democrats say they hope to avoid the kind of public consumer dispute that could be a distraction for their caucus, particularly with their majority on the line in the next cycle.
“She still has to rule, we need her to be strong. I would suggest to those who wish to succeed or ascend the leadership, do it in silence, do it behind the scenes, “said Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.), Adding:” The elections here start early. “
All of this will unfold as Democrats defend a daunting electoral map and deal with fervent ideological complaints that were suppressed during President Donald Trump’s presidency – a unifying enemy and a disturbing political force.
In the next two years, Pelosi will be forced to appease the two competing factions of his caucus: progressives who are more encouraged after high profile victories in November and moderates who have become even more nervous as their ranks have run out.
So far, Pelosi has kept both appeased, with all progressives and everyone except five moderates, supporting her as a speaker on Sunday. This included Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.), who publicly called for a change of guard in the leadership, but praised Pelosi’s ability to maneuver his large tent group.
“In the Chamber, she is universally respected only as a strategist and her ability to consolidate a caucus that is very difficult to collect,” said Ocasio-Cortez in an interview, refusing to talk about the future speaker race at the start of the new Congress.
These intra-party clashes are already taking place in the opening week of the new Congress, with moderates and progressives discussing the leadership’s plans to prepare an electoral reform package as one of the first votes under Biden. Moderates rejected the idea – since the bill includes a measure they don’t like about public campaign funding – while progressives insist the bill must be the foundation of the Democratic agenda.
“I think you are seeing President Pelosi recognize the growing influence of progressives on the Democratic caucus,” Rep. Mondaire Jones (DN.Y.), one of several freshman lawmakers who are pushing for liberal legislation like Medicare for All and Green New Deal.
Asked what he will look for in the next crop of leaders, Jones said the next speaker cannot “have an antagonistic relationship with progressives”, while adding that he is “open-minded” about potential candidates.
This balancing act between the various factions of the Democratic caucus will be something that the next generation of leadership will also inherit.
“This is certainly a responsibility that I couldn’t even imagine having to fight for,” added Ocasio-Cortez.
Olivia Beavers contributed to this report.