Dem leader says that the health of US democracy was at stake

The top elected Democrat in the United States, Nancy Pelosi , said Wednesday that her party’s success this week in winning control of the House of Representatives bodes well for democracy.

“Yesterday’s election was not only a vote to protect America’s health care, it was a vote to restore the health of our democracy,” the California congresswoman, who is likely to become House speaker in January, told reporters on Capitol Hill.

“Health care was on the ballot and healthcare won,” Pelosi said. “The biggest winner yesterday was health care for the American people, for our seniors and for American families.”

She went on to praise the “extraordinary class of dynamic and diverse Democratic candidates” who won office on Tuesday.

“Women led the way to victory with at least 30 new women coming to the Congress. Is that not exciting?” Pelosi said.

While Democrats campaigned on the need to establish a check on the power of the Republicans, who currently control the White House and both chambers of Congress, Pelosi said she was ready to collaborate with President Donald Trump on issues where the parties have common ground.

She noted that during her previous tenure as speaker of the House, she worked with then-President George W. Bush.