Pelosi Says She Will Seek Another Term as House Speaker

Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., intends to run for another term as House speaker, she said Sunday morning on CNN.

Pelosi’s commitment underscores Democrats’ confidence that they will be able to retain their majority in the House after Election Day. She also called President Donald Trump’s debate-stage prediction that Republicans would retake the House majority “delusional.”

“You keep thinking that, Mr. President,” she said. “You just keep on thinking that. Just another example of the delusional statements he made there.”

Pelosi turned back a challenge in 2018 in her bid to reclaim the speakership and is all but assured of retaining the post. Not only are Democrats heavily favored to keep the majority in the Nov. 3 elections, they have a chance to expand their numbers.

The California Democrat clinched the votes for another term as speaker in 2018 after promising that she would step aside by 2022, a pledge that sought to address a group of insurgent Democrats who tried to block her nomination in an effort to force generational change in Congress.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who voted for Pelosi as speaker, sidestepped a question about backing Pelosi again, saying Democrats need to remain focused on Election Day and growing their majority in the House. She also said she needs to see who else might make a bid for the position.

“I’m committed to making sure that we have the most progressive candidate there,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “If Speaker Pelosi is that most progressive candidate, then I will be supporting her.”

Pelosi’s commitment comes as she’s locked in intense negotiations with the Trump administration over a potential stimulus deal, which is increasingly unlikely to pass before Election Day. She said, however, that she remains optimistic that they can still reach a deal before Nov. 3.

“I will never give up hope,” she said.