WASHINGTON — The Nancy Pelosi era is over, her decision Thursday to step down as House Speaker being the coda to the story of arguably the most effective — and most polarizing — political figure of the 21st century.
Pelosi, the first woman, the first Californian and the first Italian American to become Speaker, said she never thought she would go from “homemaker to House speaker.”
She told House colleagues she would not seek another term as House Democratic leader in the Congress that convenes in January, a position she’s held for 20 years. She was speaker for eight of those years, serving under four presidents.
