Retirement

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) announced she would not seek reelection, ending nearly 40 years in Congress.

Context

Pelosi, 85, first won a special election to represent San Francisco in 1987 at age 47. She rose through the Democratic ranks to become, in 2007, the first woman elected House speaker, serving in that role from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. Born in Baltimore to a politically active family, Pelosi moved to California in the 1960s with her husband, Paul Pelosi, and raised five children before entering politics.

Leadership Ends

Pelosi announced her retirement in a video posted on Thursday, telling constituents she looked forward to her final year of service before her term ends in January 2027.

Her announcement came two days after California voters approved Proposition 50, a redistricting initiative she supported that could create up to five additional Democratic seats in the state.

Achievements and Battles

During her tenure, she shepherded major legislation through Congress, including the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and led two impeachment efforts against President Trump. She remained in Congress after stepping down as speaker in 2023 following Democratic losses in the 2022 midterm elections, with New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries succeeding her as the Democrats’ leader.

Even out of formal leadership, she remained influential in party decisions, including playing a key role in the effort that led President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Trump responded to her retirement by calling her "evil" and "corrupt," while Pelosi had recently called him "a vile creature" in a CNN interview.

Succession

Pelosi became a target of political violence when her office was ransacked during the January 6 protests, and an assailant attacked her husband with a hammer at their San Francisco home in 2022. Her retirement creates an open seat in a solidly Democratic district, with State Senator Scott Wiener (D) and progressive activist Saikat Chakrabarti already announcing campaigns.