Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) is calling for more diversity within the Democratic Party leadership and is considering challenging lame-duck House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for the speakership, Cleveland.com reported.
Fudge told the local newspaper she doesn’t think Pelosi has the votes she needs to be elected to the top post and said many who are opposing Pelosi’s bid have approached her about throwing her hat in the race. She told Cleveland.com she wants to give the prospects some “thought and see if I have an interest,” stressing that it is “just in discussion at this point.”
Fudge also suggested that voters who pushed Democrats back into House leadership were fueled by an interest in change. She said Pelosi, as well as Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), who is vying for majority leader, don’t represent change.
“When you look at the people who support this party the most, they are women and African Americans and especially African American women,” Fudge told Cleveland.com. “We keep talking about diversity, but there is nothing diverse about the top of our ticket. We have to not just talk the talk, but walk the walk.”
