Nancy Pelosi chides reporters for questioning political instincts on midterms
The House Speaker insisted that Democrats would retain the House following the midterm elections despite signs pointing in the other direction.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., slammed reporters on Wednesday for questioning her insistence that Democrats will retain the House following the midterm elections.
"Madam Speaker, you predicted that House Democrats are going to defy the odds and actually pick up seats in this year's midterm election and thus retain the Chamber. At the same time, we often hear calls for generational change within the Democratic Party and within American politics generally. Insider reported just this week that this Congress is statistically the oldest one ever. If Democrats do retain the House, do you plan to seek another term as Speaker? Why or why not?" asked one reporter.
"Not after that glorious introduction you gave," Pelosi quipped, before adding her focus is on retaining the House.
"How many times have I told you over the past year and a half‑plus that the Democrats would hold the House, despite some of the so‑called ‘conventional’ so‑called ‘wisdom’ in Washington, D.C. saying that, in the off-year, the President's party always loses Congress or seats?" Pelosi continued.
Pelosi said such predictions were not "conventional" or "wisdom," because wisdom has changed and Democrats are communicating differently versus how they have in the past. According to Pelosi, the reality has shifted, arguing that democracy, the planet, and the future of the U.S. are on the ballot this November.
Pelosi then pointed reporters to mobilization on the ground, recent legislation passed by Democrats, and party resources as three main reasons why she is confident in her and her colleagues’ ability to keep the majority.
She also touted other reasons Democrats seem poised for success, including the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a strong array of candidates, and recent victories in New York and Alaska.
"So we're very proud of the success that we're having, and we fully intend to hold the House," Pelosi added. "And even though there are some among you who belittle my political instincts and the rest, I got us here twice to the majority, and I don't intend to – our giving it up."
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., appeared to disagree with Pelosi on Monday during a private dinner with fellow U.S. Senators. Schumer said at the time that Pelosi is "in trouble" and Democrats are likely to lose the House.
As of Thursday, FiveThirtyEight has Republicans favored to win the House. A model simulating the election 40,000 times saw Republicans chances of winning at 72 in 100, versus 28 in 100 for Democrats. Additionally, the simulations showed that Republicans have an 80% chance of holding between 209 and 246 seats.
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