Posted on 11/28/2018 12:40:20 PM PST by Simon Green
House Democrats voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to nominate Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to the Speakership in a 203-32 vote.
The outcome was no surprise despite an entrenched rebellion from insurgent lawmakers who want changes to Democratic leadership. Pelosi was running uncontested and enjoys widespread support within the liberal-heavy caucus she’s led since 2003.
The 32 votes against her were fewer than the 63 votes won in a 2016 contest for minority leader by Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who ran against Pelosi at the time.
Still, Pelosi faces a tougher test the first week of January, when the full House meets to choose the Speaker in a public vote requiring a majority of the entire voting chamber.
Pelosi can not afford 32 Democratic votes against her in that contest, though she has weeks to convince some of her opponents to either vote for her on the floor, or vote present — reducing the total number of votes needed on the floor for victory.
Wednesday’s vote was conducted by private ballot in the Visitors Center of the Capitol. It was reflective of the unusual nature of this year’s leadership elections that there were written ballots at all.
Pelosi was running unchallenged for the Speaker nomination in the next Congress, and typically such races are decided by unanimous consent. This year, though, the clamor for casting a protest vote — particularly from incoming freshman who had promised voters to oppose Pelosi — was loud enough that party leaders offered paper ballots with a simple “yes/no” option on the question of whether Pelosi should be Speaker.
Indeed, Pelosi herself had given lawmakers the green-light to vote against her in the closed ballot, with the idea that it may liberate them to vote “present” in the Jan. 3 floor vote, according to a Democratic lawmaker familiar with the discussions.
“Pelosi has released some members to vote no in caucus and then vote present on the House floor,” the lawmaker said Wednesday morning, before the voting began.
Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y) said that rebel members met with Pelosi before the vote in an effort "to engage her in a reasonable conversation about leadership transition," but were rejected.
"Unfortunately, our concerns were dismissed outright," she said in a statement.
Uh, deviocrats=promises made, promises broken. It’s what they do.
Good. Crazy Nan at the helm is good.
They can say they voted against her before they voted for her.
Are they sure? A box of uncounted ballots were just found in the capital basement.
Every Vote Counts!
She already has her new more humongous gavel warming up in the bull pen
And now she accepts the moniker: Ceasar Pelletier!
I hope that those 32 Democrats don’t own a kitty cat or a small dog. Oh, the humanity.
No soup for you!
And a new pantsuit and a bulk supply of industrial depends.
It looks like she’s pinching off a big one.
Nancy can’t wait to pass Nancycare
Nancy’s first budget will be 99% Illegals and Global Warming and 1% for the Little People
They should make her beg for their votes.
Must be left over diapers her size from her previous tenure
Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y) said that rebel members met with Pelosi before the vote in an effort "to engage her in a reasonable conversation about leadership transition," but were rejected.
"Unfortunately, our concerns were dismissed outright," she said in a statement.
203-32.
Uh yeah. It sounded like a real rebellion. #FakeNews
"This isn't campus, dear. And we're not your friends."
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