The verdict is out on the race for the presidency, but in Congress, it appears Republicans will maintain their majority in the Senate and Democrats in the House.
But some centrist House Democrats stung be their party’s disappointing showing in congressional races are poised to upend the status quo and remove Nancy Pelosi from the House speakership, reports The Hill.
Two unidentified Democrats told the publication they were reaching out for thoughts on backing House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
“He’s the only one prepared and positioned” for the job, one lawmaker said. “He bridges moderates and progressives better than anyone. And most importantly, he’s not Nancy Pelosi.”
Pelosi and others had promised their party their lead would be expanded. But the Democrats lost number of their most vulnerable members and did not defeat a single Republican incumbent heading into Wednesday evening.
One of the two lawmakers who spoke to The Hill said a number of Democrats representing suburban and exurban districts had been talking about the need for a change.
“It’s time for Democrats to elevate a new generation of leadership in both the House and the Senate,” one Democrat said. “Americans are clearly afraid of ‘socialism,’ want safe streets and neighborhoods and to vote for people who they believe will help put more money in their pockets. While Democratic policies can adequately address those issues, our messaging mechanism clearly cannot.”
They reported they’d already talked with dozens of members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Progressive Caucus, New Democrat Coalition and bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.
Pelosi has said she wants to be speaker again.
Democrats watched at least seven of their frontline members go down in flames.
And there were 38 additional districts the Democrats targeted, but the GOP already has won 21 of those and leads in another 14.
