Pelosi: I have overwhelming support to lead House again

The leader of Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi , said Thursday that she has the “overwhelming” support of her party to head the chamber once again starting Jan. 3, the date on which the newly-reconstituted US Congress will begin its next session.

“I intend to win the speakership with Democratic votes,” Pelosi said at a Thursday press conference at the Capitol. “I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker of the House. ...I happen to think that at this point, I’m the best person for that.”

Pelosi represents California’s District 12.

In the midterm elections on Nov. 6, Democrats wrested control of the lower house from the Republicans after being in the minority there for eight years.

The former House speaker is facing a certain amount of opposition from within her party and US media outlets have speculated on whether various prospective contenders would be able to garner enough votes among the Democrats to deny her return to the leadership post.

Among the names mentioned recently as potential candidates who might run against Pelosi are Cheri Bustos of Illinois; Marcia Fudge of Ohio and Karen Bass of California, who have been discussed as possible challengers to the iconic figure within the Democratic Party.

Several Democrats elected for the first time to the House in the midterms have said publicly that they would like to see someone other than Pelosi in the party’s House leadership spot.

Pelosi, who has led the Democrats in the lower house since 2007, is the only leader in Congress who has not yet been elected - or reelected - by her party colleagues.

On Wednesday, Republicans reelected Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democrats reelected Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Meanwhile, House Republicans threw their support to Kevin McCarthy to replace the retiring Paul Ryan as their party’s leader in the lower chamber of Congress.

Given that the GOP lost its majority in the House in the midterms, McCarthy will now serve as House minority leader.