Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she’ll run for reelection to another term in Congress in 2024.
Pelosi announced before labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years, ABC News reported.
“Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery,” Pelosi, 83, said in a tweet. “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.”
Republicans have control of the House, but Pelosi hopes to win back the majority for Democrats. Democrats also believe they have a chance to take the majority as President Joe Biden runs for reelection.
The Pelosi announcement quiets talk of her retirement.
Washington is grappling with the sunset of a political era as an older generation of leaders, including Biden, 80, face questions about their age. Earlier this week, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, 81, announced he would finish his term as leader and senator despite concerns about his recent health episodes.
But Pelosi has long charted her own course, from her arrival in Congress as one of few women elected to the House to her tenure as one of the most powerful women in U.S. politics.
Pelosi, elected to Congress in 1987, is the Democratic leader who made history by becoming the first female speaker in 2007, and in 2019, she regained the speaker’s gavel.
Pelosi led the party through substantial legislative achievements, including the passage of the Affordable Care Act, as well as turbulent times with two impeachments of Donald Trump.
Back in California, Pelosi’s decision to seek another term is sure to disappoint other Democrats who have wanted a run for the congressional seat.
But Pelosi still has priorities she is trying to secure for her home state, especially San Francisco.
