As the Nancy Pelosi era ends, what’s next for the US House?

Hakeem Jeffries is seen because the possible substitute for Pelosi, the place he can be the primary Black get together chief in Congress.

Nancy Pelosi
US Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced on Thursday that she is not going to search management place within the subsequent Congress [Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters]

Washington, DC – Whereas People might have been divided over Nancy Pelosi’s legacy, few would disagree that the outgoing speaker of the Home of Representatives’s determination to step down spells a brand new period in US politics.

For almost 30 years, Pelosi was the highest Democratic Home lawmaker, guiding historic laws to the end line as speaker, and irritating – and generally cooperating with Republicans as minority chief.

Right here, Al Jazeera seems to be at what’s subsequent for the Home and US politics within the post-Pelosi period.

Who will change Pelosi as speaker?

Democrats narrowly misplaced management of the Home within the midterm elections earlier this month. So, the subsequent speaker will likely be from the incoming Republican majority.

In an inner vote, the Republican caucus has nominated Minority Chief Kevin McCarthy to function speaker, so he'll possible take the gavel from Pelosi when the brand new Congress convenes on January 3.

However that end result isn't assured.

With vote counting nonetheless beneath method, the precise make-up of the brand new Congress isn't but recognized. A number of Home contests stay too near name.

The Home speaker is elected by a majority of all members. At the least two right-wing Republicans have mentioned they'd not again McCarthy for speaker. With a slim Republican majority, McCarthy might not be capable of safe the 218 votes he must succeed Pelosi.

In that case, the Home will maintain additional rounds of voting till a candidate wins a majority. And not using a speaker, the chamber can be successfully nonfunctional.

The final time a speaker was not elected within the first roll name was in 1923.

Who will turn into the Democratic chief?

With Pelosi leaving the Home management, Democrats might want to discover a new lawmaker to function minority chief and subsequently as speaker in the event that they regain management of the chamber sooner or later.

That new chief will more than likely be New York’s Hakeem Jeffries, who has the backing of Pelosi and different high Democrats.

Jeffries, 52, introduced his bid for the management in a letter to colleagues on Friday. The congressman, who at present serves because the Democratic caucus chairman, has been broadly believed to be a frontrunner to succeed Pelosi for years. Now he seems set to run uncontested for the management position.

If he wins, he would turn into the primary Black get together chief in Congress.

Hakeem Jeffries
US Home Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries will possible turn into the primary African American get together chief in Congress [File: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters]

What's Jeffries’s agenda?

Within the letter saying his bid, Jeffries promised to construct on the work that Home Democrats have finished over time in cooperation with the Biden administration.

He additionally promised to push to “empower” particular person members of the racially and ideologically numerous Democratic caucus and work to take again the bulk in 2024.

The congressman mentioned Democrats would enhance their communication technique to spotlight that they're “really the get together that defends freedom, promotes financial alternative and values households by uplifting them”.

After the assault on Pelosi’s husband on the couple’s dwelling in San Francisco, which authorities say was politically motivated, Jeffries mentioned he would bolster lawmakers’ safety.

And whereas praising what Home Democrats have achieved in recent times, he mentioned: “Extra have to be finished to fight inflation, defend our democracy, safe reproductive freedom, welcome new People, promote equal safety beneath the regulation and enhance public security all through this nation.”

Who else is leaving the Democratic management?

Pelosi isn't the one high Democrat who will likely be stepping down from the Home management. Home majority chief Steny Hoyer – additionally in his 80s – is not going to retain his management place, both.

Majority whip Jim Clyburn, 82, can be anticipated to step down and search one other management position.

Massachusetts’s Katherine Clark has launched a bid to turn into the Democratic whip, and California’s Pete Aguilar is a frontrunner to take over as caucus chair.

Pelosi endorsed Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar in a press release on Thursday, saying that they replicate the “stunning range” of the nation.

What is going to Pelosi do subsequent?

The outgoing speaker will proceed to function a congresswoman, representing her San Francisco district no less than for the subsequent two years after she was reelected earlier this month.

“There isn't a larger official honour for me than to face on this flooring and to talk for the folks of San Francisco,” she mentioned on Thursday.

“This I'll proceed to do as a member of the Home – talking for the folks of San Francisco, serving the nice state of California and defending our Structure.”

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