Will Pelosi Step Down, And If So, Who Will Take Her Place?

One of the big questions in the Capitol is who is going to take House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s position as the leader of the House Democrats?

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is presently in position number 5 in the House Democratic, and he is reportedly one of the top candidates to replace Pelosi. 

Jeffries met with House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) in a “secret meeting” on Sept. 1 when Congress was on recess, according to a report by Politico. Jeffries probably got Clyburn’s support to take Pelosi’s place. This meeting took place because it was rumored that Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) was also privately looking to get the position. So Jeffries, 52, flew to South Carolina to get the counsel and support of the 82-year-old Clyburn. 

Jeffries wanted to make sure Clyburn understood the risks of splitting votes.

Later in an interview, Clyburn indicated that he would not block Jeffries from becoming the next leader. 

“There’s nothing I would ever do to impede the progress of our up-and-coming young Democrats and I see him as an up-and-coming young Democrat. He knows that, I didn’t have to tell him that — but I did,” Clyburn said. 

It is an accepted idea that if the Democrats lose control of the House, then Pelosi will step down from her position, assuming she wins reelection to Congress. She has led the party for 20 years, and at the age of 83, many within her party feel as though it is the right time for new leadership. 

But if she is not willing to step down, she may be hard to beat because of her ability to raise money for the party. In her time at the top, she has raised more than $1.25 billion for Democrats.

If she does step down, many believe that Jeffries could be the right fit for the future.