Pelosi faces new threats to her job

A little-known OH congressman said yesterday he would challenge the House of Representatives’s top Democrat for her job, calling change essential after the electoral onslaught led by Donald Trump.

Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan on Thursday wrote a letter to his colleagues in the House announcing his intention to challenge California Rep.

Ryan announced his long-shot challenge after several days of publicly weighing it. Pelosi, 76, of California, claims she has support of two-thirds of Democrats before they vote November 30.

“Without even asking anybody for a vote, I have over two-thirds of the caucus supporting me”, Pelosi told reporters Thursday morning. “I am committed to redoubling my efforts to move the country and our Caucus forward”.

Ryan’s bid marks the second time Pelosi has faced a challenge after a dismal Democratic performance in an election.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) offered the motion to delay the elections, and Rep. Mike Capuano (D-MA) seconded.

Ryan has dropped hints in recent days that he was considering running for the Minority Leader post.

Asked about Ryan’s comment that electing the same leadership team year after year and expecting a different result was akin to Albert Einstein’s (attributed) definition of insanity, Pelosi coldly said, “I don’t want to respond to that”. We have the fewest Democrats in state and federal offices since Reconstruction. Tim Ryan’s average constituent makes $57,000 a year.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney of NY, a close friend and supporter of Pelosi’s, stood by her leader, criticizing those who are quick to diagnose the problem.

Ryan’s district is home to many blue-collar voters who supported President-elect Donald Trump.

Senate Democrats attempted to address the disconnect with white voters by dramatically adding to their leadership ranks.

We need more voices at the Democratic Leadership table. She easily beat back North Carolina Rep. Heath Shuler 150-43 after the party lost the majority in 2010.

“We have to focus on the immediate, and that is that come January we’re going to have a Republican president and a Republican Congress”. The Democrats do not control the House, the Senate, nor the vast majority of USA governorships, said Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), “so rushing to a leadership vote is something that is a bit off-topic at the moment”.

And it continued: “And Crowley, who’s very close to Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the Democratic whip, is highly unlikely to attempt to leapfrog the No. 2 Democrat by taking on Pelosi”.

New York Congressman Joe Crowley was also rumored to be a possible contender for Pelosi’s job, but instead announced Thursday that he will seek the position of Caucus Chair.