Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Announces Retirement
Veteran Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi has confirmed she will not seek reelection, drawing to a close a historic four-decade tenure in Congress. She stepped away from her leadership role in 2023 but has now announced that she will also leave the House at the end of her current term.
Pelosi reflected in a video message on her deep connection to San Francisco, stating that among all her titles none has meant more than “standing on the House floor and saying: I speak for the people of San Francisco.” She added: “I will not be seeking reelection to Congress. With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative.” Her message to her home city: “San Francisco, know your power. We have made history, we have made progress, we have always led the way. And now we must continue to do so by remaining full participants in our democracy and fighting for the American ideals we hold dear.”
Though she relinquished her speakership in early 2023, Pelosi remained in Congress in a reduced role, helping to guide the Democratic Party’s transition and mentor younger leaders like Hakeem Jeffries. Her ability to operate behind the scenes while adjusting to a lighter personal schedule speaks to her enduring influence.
Pelosi’s legacy is widely acknowledged. In the words of Hakeem Jeffries, she is “an iconic, legendary, transformational figure.” Yet her long tenure also drew criticism for concentrating power and slowing the advancement of younger Democrats. On the personal front, the intensity of her public service imposed a toll: in late 2022 her husband suffered a hammer attack in their San Francisco home, and the couple decided she would step back from leadership thereafter.
In announcing her departure, she delivered a final plea for bipartisan commitment: “American democracy is majestic, but it is fragile. Many of us here have witnessed its fragility firsthand tragically, in this chamber. And so, democracy must be forever defended from forces that wish it harm.”
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