Nancy Pelosi, the iron-fisted queen of Capitol Hill and the first woman ever to wield the Speaker’s gavel, is bowing out after nearly four decades in Washington.
“I will not be seeking reelection to Congress,” the 85-year-old Democrat declared in an emotional video to her San Francisco constituents, promising to finish her final year “with a grateful heart.”
Pelosi’s exit brings to an end a political era that saw her rise from a California liberal to one of the most powerful women in U.S. history, and Donald Trump’s fiercest rival.
The sharp-tongued lawmaker became a lightning rod for conservatives, with Trump famously calling her “crazy Nancy.”
But she never backed down; famously ripping up Trump’s State of the Union address on live TV in 2020.
Pelosi, who has led Democrats for two decades and served as Speaker twice, was instrumental in passing landmark bills; from Obama’s Affordable Care Act to Biden’s infrastructure agenda.
Her 38-year career in Congress made her a political titan and a symbol of Democratic dominance from the West Coast to Washington.
“I say to my colleagues in the House all the time, no matter what title they have bestowed upon me — speaker, leader, whip — there has been no greater honor for me than to stand on the House floor and say, I speak for the people of San Francisco,” Pelosi said.
“I have truly loved serving as your voice,” she added. “As we go forward, my message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power.”
