House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement that she would stand down from leading the House Democratic Caucus after two decades was greeted with applause from numerous Democrats who gathered to hear her speak on the House floor on Thursday, with members from both parties greeting the outgoing speaker and recognising her years of service.
Very few members of the House GOP Conference took time out of their day to watch the veteran lawmaker reveal her plans for the 118th Congress, but some Republican members took the occasion of the first woman to lead the House stepping down to issue crass missives on social media to celebrate her departure rather than her status as the first person since Sam Rayburn to lose — and regain — the speaker’s gavel.
Representative Lauren Boebert, a pro-Trump extremist who has suggested that there should be no separation of church and state in the US, celebrated Ms Pelosi’s retirement from leadership with a tweet, writing: “The Pelosi era is over. Good riddance!”
Derek Van Orden, a Representative-elect who will soon begin his first term representing Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District — and who was present at the Capitol during the January 6 attack — took to his own Twitter account to post a photograph of himself pointing at a truck with a “Fire Pelosi” banner hanging off the back.
He captioned the image with: “Promises Made. Promises Kept”.
Ms Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland are stepping back from the leadership roles they have held since 2003, citing a desire for a new generation of Democrats to take up top positions within the Democratic caucus.
The House Democratic Whip, James Clyburn, has said he would stay on in an advisory role if asked, and both he and Mr Hoyer have endorse New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries to serve as the House minority leader when the 118th Congress convenes on 3 January.
