Guest Opinion Writer John Lawrence offers perspective on former Speaker Pelosi’s decision to run for her 20th term. Mr. Lawrence served 38 years as a senior staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives, the last eight as Chief of Staff to Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“The announcement by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she will seek another term – her 20th – in Congress is evoking mixed reactions among supporters, commentators, and readers of the political tea leaves. Why, at 84 as of the next Congress, with eight highly successful years as speaker, a new leadership team firmly ensconced, and a bevy of would-be successors circling her seat, would she opt for yet another campaign?
“Pelosi has confounded prognosticators before. As I noted in my book, “Arc of Power: Inside Nancy Pelosi’s Speakership 2005-2010,” Pelosi harbored some ambivalence about seeking the position of Democratic minority leader after the party’s House routing in 2010. On November 16, as we rode together in the elevator to the Caucus that was about to select her as party leader for the fifth time, she said quietly, “I don’t really want to do this.” I responded, “Well, you picked a hell of a time to tell me!” But she felt compelled to stay in power to safeguard what may have been the most important law of her career, the Affordable Care Act that, was going to encounter a frenetic repeal effort by Republicans.
“Two years later, following President Obama’s re-election, she again contemplated stepping down from leadership. She reviewed my draft letter to her colleagues, which, at her direction, concluded with her decision to leave the leader’s position. But when she read through her lengthy list of achievements, she asked, “If I’ve accomplished all this, why am I retiring?” The end of the letter was redrafted to solicit her colleague’s votes for another term.
“In 2014, the ACA and other Obama-era policies remained vulnerable to the Tea Part-Freedom Caucus zealots; in 2016, the country faced an alarming prospect with incoming President Donald Trump. In 2018, back in the majority, she cut the deals necessary to regain the speakership and use her power to stand up to Trump’s destructive governing style while assisting his erratic administration during the early stage of the COVID crisis. In 2020, she ran for what she had promised two years earlier would be her last term with the gavel. She was convinced her legislative experience was needed to allow President Biden to eke out massive legislative victories with the tiniest of House (and Senate) margins.
“Some analysts believed Pelosi clung to power for so long because she feared that her retirement would propel the more moderate Steny Hoyer into the party’s top position, a prospect that might undercut progressive legislation and make governing the predominantly liberal Caucus all but impossible. What was needed, in fact, was an experienced, younger, diverse, progressive leadership team that reflected the Democrats’ majority-minority caucus; when that team was in place in 2022, she stepped down from leadership as promised.
“As with her retaining the leadership slot years longer than many had predicted, many now question why she needs another two years in the House. Certainly, most people would decide to take the time to spend with grandchildren or take a few relaxing trips (Pelosi has visited over 80 countries as a congresswoman, but as a veteran of many of them, I can assure you they are not “relaxing.”)
“Pelosi explains her decision by citing the urgent needs of her district, the city of San Francisco, a wicked combination of tech industry setbacks, homelessness, and crime that is constantly ballyhooed by Republicans who overlook the same litany of crises afflicting their districts. With Feinstein’s imminent retirement, the city long celebrated as “Baghdad by the Bay” would suffer another consequential loss should the former speaker also choose to depart. Yes, California has a very large congressional delegation, but only one member thinks of San Francisco first and foremost.
“Certainly, another consideration is the very real prospect that Democrats could benefit from heightened turnout in a presidential cycle, disdain for Republican extremism, and some reapportionment revisions and win back the House majority in 2024. To do so, they would benefit from Pelosi’s fundraising acumen, which would, inevitably, diminish should she announce her retirement. Moreover, any new Democratic majority would be a narrow one, and the current leadership team would doubtless benefit by having her engaged as a member of the House.
The debate over tenure in office and age will continue to grow in the national discussion. Younger voters often erroneously believe the reason their political goals are not achieved as swiftly as they would like is the purported gerontocracy that dominates American politics. Age is a legitimate issue when an officeholder cannot do the job, but the frustrations of young voters are often misdirected. Most of the obstructionism that persuades them the Congress is dysfunctional originates with young, conservative zealots who are waging an unrelenting war against policies like health care, abortion rights, gender equity, and climate change. As Pelosi demonstrated during her second turn as speaker, defying Trump and passing Biden’s agenda despite a razor-thin majority, legislative acumen, and deep personal relationships are vital tools.
“There is little doubt that congressional Republicans will continue to demand drastic budget cuts for every federal policy San Francisco’s residents desperately need. With the uncertainties swirling over congressional control and the presidential election, it is unsurprising that Pelosi has chosen to stay around for another three years.”