After serving 17 years as a Democratic leader in the House, Pelosi is running without opposition. But she will have to count the votes carefully to ensure that she can avoid any embarrassment on the floor of the House, facing the smallest majority of Democrats in decades, a pandemic that could prevent participation and some in its caucus stirring for new leadership, as well as unified Republican resistance.
“If Nancy can do anything, it’s knowing how to count,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Democrat from Virginia. “She is very aware of the fact that, with a small majority – with some members who voted against her two years ago – there will be an effort to persuade them that this was then and now it is. have uncertainty about the speaker. “
To obtain the title of speaker, a member must receive the majority of votes. In 2018, 15 Democrats defected from Pelosi, but she could only lose a few in 2021. After losing a dozen seats in 2020, House Democrats are likely to control about 222 seats in the next term.
Representative Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Representative Jared Golden of Maine have said they do not plan to vote for her. And a handful of moderate and progressive Democrats, including Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger of Virginia and elected representatives Cori Bush of Missouri and Jamaal Bowman of New York, declined to say how they would vote.
Pelosi’s deputies are also concerned that some allies with underlying health problems may be excluded, as all members must be present to vote. A Democratic member – Congresswoman Gwen Moore of Wisconsin – announced that she tested positive for Covid earlier this week, but her spokeswoman told CNN that she “does not anticipate that it will affect her ability to perform her duties, including voting.”
Pelosi’s allies said the speaker is confident he will be easily re-elected. The speaker has a myriad of tools at her disposal to garner votes, including a huge fundraising operation, committee assignments and legislation that she can submit. In 2018, Pelosi, 80, suggested that this would be her last term, closing a deal with a small group of Democratic rebels that she would serve for no more than two terms as a spokesperson.
Pelosi told his members on a private call earlier this week that his only enemy in the fight for the spokesman was Covid, according to several sources familiar with him, because the virus could affect the number of members who could come to Washington and vote. Although members could vote while they were sick, the view would be terrible.
“She is one of the few clear leaders who can provide cohesion and leadership for the Democratic majority,” said Connolly. “I think she is going to do this in a strong position, but clearly aware of the challenges she faces in terms of numbers and the uncertainty of the coronavirus.”
