‘It is honestly her job to help us with the transition, to help us draw up a succession plan. I do not want it to be the kind of thing where people are afraid to say it, because ‘The speaker is still in power, and I do not want to invade her’, “said Susan Wild (D-) said Pa.), who supported Pelosi and said she wanted a caucus-wide discussion about her successor.
Pelosi, in turn, has said publicly and privately that it is up to the caucus to elect its leaders and she has no plans to elect a successor.
“I do not think anyone should be considered the heir to the seat,” added Wild, who is starting her second term.
In public, most Democrats insist that they are focused on the inauguration of President Joe Biden, and that they want to look at Pelosi’s leadership to expedite its agenda – especially more Covid relief – through a narrowly divided House. . But privately, lawmakers and associates acknowledge that they already support the inevitable tension that could arise between the most powerful speaker of a lifetime and the Democrats who are going to audition to replace her and her long deputies.
Democrats are keeping a close eye on the small group of their colleagues whose names have been driven for the best posts, including Democratic caucus chairman Hakeem Jeffries, former black caucus chairman Karen Bass, and House Intelligence chairman Adam Schiff as speaker. Assistant speaker Katherine Clark, Vice President Pete Aguilar and Progressive Caucus President Pramila Jayapal are also named for high positions.
Nobody has confirmed the potential ambitions in public – to consider them taboo in the caucus. But everyone has benefits that can help them progress if there is a leadership vacuum at the top.
Jeffries (DN.Y.) and Clark (D-Mass.) Both have prominent leadership positions, giving them experience, fundraising skills and a built-in support base; Schiff (D-California) is a powerhouse fundraiser and a close ally of Pelosi; Bass (D-California) has proven experience as a speaker in the California State Assembly and former head of the influential Black Caucus Congress.
Aguilar is in leadership and a beloved member of the Hispanic Caucus of Congress; and Jayapal has recently successfully transitioned to consolidate the progressive power behind her as head of the CPC, although some question her support outside the Liberals.
When asked about the attention of the caucus that is already starting to move to the next leadership contest, rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.): “Of course, we are politicians, that’s all we do.”
Many Democrats say they are not sure whether Pelosi will give up the hammer in 2022, although the California Democrat publicly committed himself to only two terms in 2018 as part of an agreement to secure the votes she needed has to recover the hammer from the speaker.
Several Democrats have said they could see a scenario where the current top three House leaders – Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) And House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (DS.C.) – try to stay if their party wins the House, Senate and Withuis. Others predicted that the Democrats would lose the House in 2022, causing an automatic power conversion.
Hoyer, who was not ashamed of his desire to one day be a speaker and as Clyburn is at the right time, is mentioned as a potential ‘bridge’ to a new generation of leadership as Pelosi leaves. But others believe the most likely scenario is that the three top leaders, all in their 80s, will evacuate at the same time.
In private meetings, lawmakers and assistants say Pelosi gave no indication of her timeline or thinking behind her departure, although she has publicly pointed out that she is leaving after this term. And several Democrats have predicted when Pelosi chooses to leave, she will do so on her own terms and it will come as a surprise to most.
‘I know there’s a lot of talk about it being Madame Speaker’s last term, but I do not know. Honestly, until I hear it, I agree with her, “said Bass, who some Democrats called a possible speaker after she was publicly seen as a cabinet leader and vice presidential choice for Biden.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Another ally of Pelosi, said he interpreted her comments in such a way that she would leave in two years’ time, expecting candidates to start placing their positions for top positions soon.
“I think people know that in two years’ time there will be new leadership and I understand that. She was quite open about it, “said Khanna. “I think it will be an open field.”
But some Democrats say they hope to avoid the kind of everyday jockeys that could be a distraction for their caucus, especially with their majority going on in the next cycle.
“She still has to rule, we have to be strong. I would suggest that those who might want to follow her or want to lead her should do so calmly, do it behind the scenes, ”said Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) Said and added: “The election around here starts early.”
All of this will play out as the Democrats defend a fearsome election card and work through long simmering ideological grievances that are mostly suppressed during President Donald Trump’s presidency – a unifying enemy and a distracting political force.
Over the next two years, Pelosi is expected to soften the two rival factions of her caucus: progressives who are more encouraged after high victories in November, and moderates who only got brighter as their ranks became exhausted.
So far, Pelosi has kept both satiated, with every progressive and all but five moderates supporting her as speaker Sunday. This included, among others, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.), who publicly called for a change of guard in the leadership, but praised Pelosi’s ability to run her big tent party. has.
“In the home, she is fairly universally respected only as a tactician and her ability to consolidate a caucus that is very difficult to bring along,” Ocasio-Cortez said in an interview, not wanting to talk about the future race early for speaker does not speak. the new Congress.
These intra-party clashes are already taking place in the opening week of the new Congress, with moderates and progressive talks over the leadership’s plans to put together a package of election reforms as one of the first votes among Biden. Moderates do not like the idea – as the bill contains a measure they do not like about public funding of campaigns – while progressives insist that the bill should be the basis of the Democratic agenda.
“I think you see that Speaker Pelosi recognizes the growing influence of progressives in the Democratic caucus,” Rep. Mondaire Jones (DN.Y.), one of several first-year legislators campaigning for liberal legislation such as Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. .
Asked what he was going to look for in the next crop of leaders, Jones said the next speaker could not have an “antagonistic relationship with progressives”, adding that he was “open-minded” about the potential candidates.
The balance between the many factions of the Democratic caucus will be something that the next generation of leadership will also inherit.
“It’s definitely a responsibility I could not even imagine I had to waver,” Ocasio-Cortez added.
Olivia Beavers contributed to this report.