Pelosi Announces Retirement from Congress

Wiener, 55, was likely to be Pelosi’s strongest primary challenger had she opted to stay in the race. He vowed for years that he would not run for Pelosi’s seat until the Democratic titan decided to step aside, but he opened a congressional committee two years ago and raised over $1 million as he waited to see what Pelosi would do.

His entrance into the race, as well as a bid from a former aide to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), was the latest in a long line of younger Democrats looking for generational change on Capitol Hill in the wake of the 2024 election. Several elder, establishment Democrats in the House are facing primary challenges, and a handful have opted to retire instead of facing a possible loss in the primary race.

California does not hold a traditional Democratic primary but holds a vote in which the top two candidates, regardless of party, advance to the general election. So it is possible that Wiener and former aide Saikat Chakrabarti could face each other. People have eyed Pelosi’s daughter, Christine, as a possible successor, as well.

Pelosi has sidestepped questions on her reelection plans, saying earlier this week that she would wait until after Election Day before making an announcement. In her home state of California, redistricting Proposition 50 passed, allowing the legislature to draw a new map targeting five vulnerable House Republicans to offset Texas gerrymandering that added five seats to its GOP delegation.

Her team appeared to brush off any chatter of her retirement ahead of time, with spokesperson Ian Krager saying any discussion on her political future is “pure speculation.” Three days later, his boss released her video telling San Fransisco residents she would retire.

He added that she “fiercely navigated many trials and tribulations,” including the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol in which supporters of President Donald Trump threatened to kill her and an attack on her husband, Paul Pelosi, in October 2022.

Jeffries became heir apparent to Pelosi when she stepped down as House Democratic party leader after the 2022 midterms. The speaker emerita frequently praises the minority leader when asked by reporters how she thinks he is leading the Democratic caucus through things like budget reconciliation, spending deals, and the government shutdown.

But Jeffries’s and Pelosi’s working relationship was scrutinized during the turbulent time when Democrats en masse were calling on former President Joe Biden to retire. Pelosi later gave an interview where she said she thought Biden should have dropped out of the 2024 race sooner. Jeffries said late last year he had no issues with Pelosi and that it’s an “honor” to stand on her shoulders.