‘She needs to take a seat’

Some House Democrats have had enough of Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) analysis of Vice President Kamala Harris’ Election Day loss to President-elect Donald Trump – and one lawmaker believes it’s time for her to “take a seat.” 

Pelosi, 84, ruffled feathers within the Democratic caucus after she told the New York Times last week that “Had [President Biden] gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race,” suggesting that an “open primary” to replace Biden, 81, on the Democratic ticket would’ve been her preference. 

“She needs to take a seat,” a senior Democratic lawmaker told Axios, in response to the former House speaker’s commentary. 

“Making scattershot comments is not just unhelpful, it’s damaging,” the lawmaker added. 

Another House Democrat took issue with Pelosi seemingly trying to speak for the party – rather than House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). 

“Hakeem has been tremendously graceful and respectful of her, but I don’t think she is being respectful of him,” a member of the Congressional Black Caucus told the outlet. 

“I understand that this is a difficult transition for her, not being the leader, but she is not,” the lawmaker added. “She needs to understand what her new role is.”

The report noted that Pelosi – a central figure in pushing Biden out of the 2024 race – “still instills fear” in House Democrats and suggested that is the reason the two lawmakers spoke to the outlet anonymously. 

A spokesperson for Pelosi insisted that the former House speaker holds Jeffries in high regard. 

“Speaker Pelosi is immensely proud of Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his masterful stewardship of the House Democratic Caucus,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We all should praise the excellent progress made by House Democrats under his leadership.”

Pelosi was replaced as leader of the Democratic caucus by Jeffries after the party lost its House majority in the 2022 midterm elections.