Washington (AFP) – Top congressional Democrat Nancy Pelosi brushed off concern Thursday about simmering internal party opposition to her leadership, expressing confidence that she will be elected speaker of the House of Representatives.
Pelosi has led House Democrats since 2003, including a historic four-year stint as the first-ever female speaker.
With Democrats reclaiming the majority after last week’s midterm elections, House Republicans will relinquish the gavel, and Pelosi recently said she had “100 percent” confidence in reclaiming it.
But that was before revelations that 17 Democrats have signed a document committing to not support her when the full 435-member House votes on January 3.
Asked about the internal revolt, Pelosi, 78, was defiant.
“I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker,” she told reporters.
“I intend to win the speakership with Democratic votes.”
House Democrats are widely expected to elect Pelosi as their leader on November 28.
The subsequent vote for speaker involves all House members. With Republicans rallying around their new leader Kevin McCarthy, Pelosi will need the vast majority of Democrats to secure the 218 House votes necessary to prevail.
The number of midterm Democratic gains is not final, as some races remain uncalled. But with the party likely to hold between 230 and 237 seats, the anti-Pelosi block of 17 could prove crucial.
Resisters appeared to be gaining some steam.
“Congress needs a new leader. Period,” House Democrat Seth Moulton said on Twitter.
Moulton, from Massachusetts, is among a group of Democrats who argue that the torch should be passed to a new generation.
He has helped gather the signatures of opposition to Pelosi, a person familiar with the effort told AFP.
Moulton has said he would back Marcia Fudge, a former chair of the House’s Congressional Black Caucus, saying Wednesday that the Ohio congresswoman has “the type of leadership this party needs.”
Congressman Filemon Vela of Texas is also publicly supporting Fudge.
Fudge, 66, has not publicly stated whether she will run, but Pelosi welcomed the challenge.
“Come on in, the water’s warm,” she said.
Some of the opposition is coming from newcomers, including congresswoman-elect Mikie Sherrill who said she pledged to voters that she would not support Pelosi.
“I think there are some great people that’ll be coming forward and I’m excited to see who those people might be,” Sherrill told reporters.
But Pelosi, who clearly has been working the phones to build support, remains the post’s frontrunner.
“Nancy Pelosi has my vote for Speaker,” tweeted congresswoman Karen Bass.
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