In a move that has sent ripples through the political landscape, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at the age of 83, declared her intention to run for a 20th term in the House of Representatives in 2024.
This announcement was made public via a post on Twitter, now known as X, on Friday.
Pelosi, a seasoned political veteran, has served as the speaker of the House of Representatives for eight years cumulatively and led the House Democratic Caucus for two decades from 2003 to 2023.
Despite stepping down from leadership at the end of the 117th Congress, Pelosi has remained an active member of the House, representing San Francisco.
In her announcement, Pelosi emphasized the need for continued progress in San Francisco and the United States as a whole.
She stated, “Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery.”
“Our country needs America to show the world that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL. That is why I am running for reelection — and respectfully ask for your vote.”
Pelosi’s decision to retire from the House Democratic leadership followed a distressing incident involving her husband, Paul Pelosi, who was assaulted by David DePape, a homeless man and illegal immigrant from Canada, in their San Francisco home.
Her successor, Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, represents the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
During her second term as Speaker from 2019 to 2023, Pelosi presided over the chamber that impeached President Trump twice.
However, Trump was acquitted both times after a trial in the Senate. Currently, Pelosi is the eighth-oldest member of the House of Representatives, and among the oldest members of Congress overall.
Her decision to run again comes amidst widespread criticism of the advanced age of high-ranking federal politicians in the United States, including President Joe Biden (age 80), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (age 81), and Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California (age 89).
Despite this, Pelosi’s chances of facing a primary challenge for her seat are low.
In fact, Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of California launched an exploratory committee and raised $820,000 ahead of Pelosi’s announcement.
Meanwhile, a Democratic political strategist commented, “Nancy is blocking the sun and it is really hard to even think about or talk about [the future] because no one wants to take on Nancy.”
Pelosi, known for her fundraising prowess, had already filed paperwork to run for reelection on Jan 16, shortly after the 118th Congress took office, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Prior to her Friday announcement, she had raised over $2 million for her campaign, with a separate “Nancy Pelosi Victory Fund” having raised $36 million in 2022, according to the FEC.