In a video that was shared on social media on Thursday, the 85-year-old San Francisco congressman made the revelation.
“For decades, I’ve cherished the privilege of representing our magnificent city in the United States Congress,”
she said.
“I want you, my fellow San Franciscans, to be the first to know I will not be seeking re-election to Congress.”
Her choice comes after weeks of conjecture about whether the well-known Democrat will seek reelection in 2026, with reports circulating on Capitol Hill that she would step down.
Additionally, a number of Democrats from the Golden State, including State Senator Scott Wiener and Saikat Chakrabarti, who was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's chief of staff, entered the race to succeed her.
“With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative,”
Pelosi added.
Along with Pelosi, seven other Egalitarians and further than two dozen other House members have declared they wo n't seek reelection in the November choices.
Pelosi, who was first tagged to Congress in 1987, is the son of a representative from Maryland. She started out as a little-given backbencher and worked her way up to come a important powerbroker. She had a significant part in the legislative achievements of chairpersons Barack Obama and Joe Biden during her 20 times as leader of the House Democratic side. She tried to fight Democratic chairpersons George W. Bush and Donald Trump's programs in the interim.
Her supporters see her as an unwavering advocate for progressive causes like environmental protection, homosexual rights, and women's rights. However, critics frequently write her off as an outdated member of the coastal elite. However, she is recognized by both supporters and detractors as a very skilled political manipulator who can persuade various groups within her party.
She became the most influential woman in American politics when she was initially chosen to be speaker of the House in 2007. Obama's main law, the Affordable Care Act, was passed thanks in large part to her efforts two years later.
In 2019, she was chosen speaker once more, making history as the first person to do it twice in almost 60 years. She presented herself as an outspoken opponent of Trump during this period, most famously destroying a copy of his 2020 State of the Union address.
A number of significant laws, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, were passed by the California congresswoman during Biden's tenure.
“She’s more than a barrier breaker, she is one of our most brilliant and accomplished leaders, who repeatedly overcame steep odds to deliver results that changed people’s lives for the better,”
Rep. Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, wrote on X (Twitter).
She was hailed as the greatest speaker in American history by Sen. Adam Schiff, a fellow Californian, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
GOP Rep. Mike Lawler of New York wrote,
“Whatever one thinks about Nancy Pelosi or the policies she fought for, she is an historic figure in American politics. While I was proud to help end her reign as Speaker, I have great respect and admiration for her political prowess and steely resolve.”
However, not every response was positive.
Trump's reflections were imaged by Democratic Mike Johnson, the current speaker of the House, who portrayed Pelosi as getting more and more disconnected from the Democratic Party.
How Pelosi's retirement affects House Democratic leadership?
Nancy Pelosi’s pullout will have a significant impact on House Popular leadership, marking the end of a major and influential career. Pelosi, as the first woman Speaker of the House and a pivotal architect of Popular strategy for decades, has shaped the party’s legislative program and political direction.
Her departure creates a leadership vacuum, egging Popular lawgivers to identify new leaders able to unite the side and navigating a grueling political geography.
Pelosi had formally stepped down from her formal leadership role after the 2022 research but remained an important behind- the- scenes figure. Her full withdrawal means that race conversations will consolidate, with implicit campaigners arising to vie for positions as the party seeks to balance experience with generational change.