The drama in the media was just that…
Drama….
She IS on tract to become the Speaker of the House again after a 8 year absence as the House Minority Leader…
California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who has served 16 years as House Democratic leader, is on her way to securing another two after winning the Democratic Caucus’s nomination for speaker Wednesday.
The outcome was never in doubt given that no one was running against Pelosi for the top leadership post and the simple-majority threshold required to win the caucus’s nomination is an easy bar to meet for the veteran vote counter.
Pelosi got 203 votes on the caucus ballot, but her allies believe that’s far lower than what she can earn on the floor. There were 32 no votes, 3 blanks and one member was absent.
What remains uncertain is whether Pelosi will be able to unify enough members of her caucus to win the Jan. 3 speaker election on the House floor. She needs a majority of the entire House — 218 votes if all members are present and voting — to secure the gavel and currently lacks that level of public support.
The caucus temporarily changed its rules Wednesday to allow for a “no” option on the speaker ballot to help Democrats who promised during their campaigns to vote against Pelosi to fulfill that pledge. Typically the only option for voting against a candidate in an uncontested race would be to leave the ballot blank or write in someone else’s name….
South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn was elected House majority whip Wednesday by acclamation, holding onto the No. 3 leadership position.
Clyburn, currently the assistant Democratic leader, served as majority whip when Democrats were last in the majority from 2007 through 2010.
Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer is returning to his old post of House majority leader next year after the Democratic Caucus on Wednesday elected him to the post by acclamation.
Hoyer, Democrats’ longtime No. 2 leader and current minority leader, last held the majority leader title when Democrats were last in the majority from 2007 through 2010…
image…Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call