House Democrats Delay Leadership Elections As Some Members Grumble

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., joined by Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., speaks during an election day news conference at the Democratic Congressional ... House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., joined by Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., speaks during an election day news conference at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Headquarters in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) MORE LESS
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House Democrats on Tuesday decided to postpone their leadership elections until after Thanksgiving in what may be a sign of mild discontent amid Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) ranks.

House Democrats told reporters following their first caucus meeting since Election Day that the leadership election would now fall closer to November 30, according to CNN. Bloomberg reported that leadership elections were originally slated for Thursday.

One possible reason for the delay: Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) has publicly considered challenging Pelosi for her long-held leadership position.

“I got a few calls saying, ‘We need someone from the Midwest who is a good communicator who can help us win seats in tough areas around the country,’” Ryan said of possibly taking on Pelosi, according to Politico.

Still, Pelosi has strong support among most House Democrats, and any challenge to her leadership would be a long shot.

More than 30 rank-and-file House Democrats asked Pelosi in a letter Monday to delay leadership elections to allow time to discuss why so many congressional candidates underperformed expectations in the recent election.

“It is vital that our Caucus take the time to listen to the American people and learn the lessons of this difficult election in order to put our Caucus in the best position to fight the potentially dangerous agenda of President-elect Donald Trump and to have a realistic chance of taking back the House in 2018,” the letter read, as quoted by the Washington Post.

The letter was promoted by Ryan, who eventually removed his name from it amid speculation he was after Pelosi’s position, according to the same Post report.

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Notable Replies

  1. “More than 30 rank-and-file House Democrats asked Pelosi in a letter Monday to delay leadership elections to allow time to discuss why so many congressional candidates underperformed expectations in the recent election.”

    Because you’re a group of effete, spineless, nattering idiots who can’t get themselves unified into an effective messaging force and who respond to adversity by having “discussions.”

    There. Discussed. Now shit or get off the pot.

  2. “I got a few calls saying, ‘We need someone from the Midwest who is a good communicator who can help us win seats in tough areas around the country,’” Ryan said of possibly taking on Pelosi, according to Politico.

    OK, here’s where the rubber meets the road.

    What could Ryan “communicate” to Midwesterners who responded entirely to Rump’s racism? At no point did Rump actually have policy that went beyond deportations. The message of MAGA does NOT include policy; it includes White nationalism. Clinton tried her best to get across actual policy position that could have benefited Midwesterners. But that was drowned out with MAGA.

    So, - what would Ryan be communicating?

    EDIT TO ADD: I want to make something VERY clear here. The Democratic Party is at a crossroads right now.

    Part of the reason is that PoC, women, LGBT have been seen as “special interest groups” that the Dem Party mines for votes. But that’s wrong.

    Because the Dem Party IS PoC, women, LGBT. This is what the actual Party consists of now. We need to make that clear because at some point there will be a choice to be made.

  3. Avatar for mantan mantan says:

    Cluttering my email with absurd hourly requests for contributions seems counterproductive…

  4. ‘please don’t go hard left, please don’t go hard left, please don’t go hard left’

  5. If Democrats think that moving to the right is going to capture more votes they are off their rockers - literally. It is time for them all to retire and let some fresh ideas take over.

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