Another Anti-Pelosi Dem Lines Up Behind Her Speakership Bid

UNITED STATES - JULY 18: Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., participates in the House Ways and Means Committee Trade Subcommittee hearing on "The Effects of Tariffs on U.S. Agriculture and Rural Communities" on Wednesday, J... UNITED STATES - JULY 18: Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., participates in the House Ways and Means Committee Trade Subcommittee hearing on "The Effects of Tariffs on U.S. Agriculture and Rural Communities" on Wednesday, July 18, 2018. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

One of 16 Democrats who signed a recent letter promising to oppose House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) speakership bid for the next Congress flipped to Pelosi’s side on Wednesday.

Rep. Brian Higgins’ (D-NY) support of Pelosi, in exchange for concessions from the leader on two of Higgins’ priorities, comes a day after Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) abandoned a potential challenge to Pelosi’s speakership.

Higgins told The Buffalo News that he is now supporting Pelosi in exchange for an “agreement in principle” from the leader that Democrats under her leadership will advance a “major infrastructure bill early in the next Congress,” in the paper’s words, and a commitment to let Higgins lead the charge on a proposal to let Americans buy into Medicare at age 50.

“I have an agreement in principle with the Democratic leader that those are going to be two priorities, and that I will be the lead person on the Medicare buy-in,” Higgins told the Buffalo News.

“I’ve been talking to her three or four times over the last several days,” he said, adding that he’d spoken to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as well.

Besides, Higgins said, after both Fudge and Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) lined up behind Pelosi, “The bottom line is, we don’t even have a semblance of a viable alternative at this point.”

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for jebaxt jebaxt says:

    Love watching Nancy work.

  2. Looks like he gets his suits from Roger Stone’s boutique awning shop?

  3. Excellent news on both counts. Good for Pelosi, and for Higgins.

    But the money quote is: “…we don’t even have a semblance of a viable alternative at this point.” Worth repeating. There just isn’t anyone else.

  4. “The bottom line is, we don’t even have a semblance of a viable alternative at this point.”

    Damn right. Y’all all couldn’t find someone to fall in love with so fall in line! We have important things to do and now that you’ve had your moment in the bright lights, it’s time to get to work!

  5. I can’t wait to donate money to primary anyone dumb enough to stay on that list.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

93 more replies

Participants

Avatar for ajm Avatar for xpurg8d Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for ajileye Avatar for jdkahler Avatar for radicalcentrist Avatar for cervantes Avatar for honeyboywilson Avatar for randyabraham Avatar for eastlansing Avatar for nemo Avatar for esva Avatar for keninmn Avatar for upstateny13027 Avatar for pshah Avatar for misha Avatar for brian512 Avatar for tpr Avatar for alana Avatar for spin Avatar for pike_bishop Avatar for erik_t Avatar for kumquat16 Avatar for aiddon

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: