The first round of voting for House Democratic Leadership was completed on Wednesday, putting Nancy Pelosi one vote closer to being the next Speaker of the House. Following a fight to ensure she would have enough votes to regain speakership in the upcoming Congress, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, unopposed, handily won her election.
Throughout the 2018 election cycle, various Democratic candidates promised to oppose Pelosi during the Democratic leadership elections, the majority of whom are to her right. In order to regain speakership, Minority Leader Pelosi can only lose 17 Democratic votes during the House floor vote. However, Pelosi has repeatedly voiced her confidence that by the official House floor vote, she will easily win reelection.
In a close-door party vote, Pelosi won reelection 203-32, which means that she still needs 15 more votes. Pelosi and her staff are confident they will whip these votes by the official floor vote.
Congressional Democrats also re-elected Representatives Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn to their positions of majority leader and whip, respectively. Additionally, Representative Hakeem Jeffries beat Representative Barbara Lee to chair the Democratic Congress, 123-113.
Pelosi is expected to whip votes throughout December prior to the final House floor vote.
NBC 11/28/2018, Politico 11/28/2018, Politico 11/28/2018, CNN 11/28/2018
