Anti-Pelosi rebels claim to have enough support to block her from speakership

A rebellious contingent of House Democrats are claiming they have the votes to stop Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., from becoming speaker of the House, demanding new leadership and putting current Democratic leadership on defense.

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., told Roll Call Tuesday he is "100 percent confident" that the anti-Pelosi faction has enough votes and commitments to keep Pelosi from being elected House speaker in a floor vote. He is part of an effort to gather signatures on a letter calling for new leadership that is intended to show the strength of the opposition.

“The goal is to get to critical mass, and people realize it’s just time to move on,” Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., said.

Democrats are scheduled to vote on a nominee for House speaker on November 28. The speaker of the House is elected by a simple majority of the 435 members composing the House of Representatives. Democrats in rebellion against Pelosi can vote with Republicans against her, barring her from the speakership.

Though there is no declared candidate opposing Pelosi, Moulton expects one will emerge when it becomes clear she doesn't have the votes to lead.

“The point is, once it’s clear that Pelosi doesn’t have the votes, there are other people — we have enormous talent in our caucus — there are other people that will step forward,” Moulton said.

Countering the effort, Pelosi and her supporters in the House are arguing that pushing a woman out of Democratic leadership after more than 100 women were just elected to Congress "would be wrong."

“I think it would look ridiculous if we win back the House … we have a pink wave with women who have brought back the House, then you’re going to not elect the leader who led the way? No,” Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., told Politico. Frankel leads the Democratic Women’s Working Group.

"We have a president who is a misogynist, a president who has been antagonistic to women’s issues. … There is no better person at the very top than [Pelosi],” said incoming Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas.

Now isn't that funny? Democratic leadership and its lackeys are using identity politics to quell the rebels. A vote against Pelosi will be an anti-women vote. It doesn't matter how unpopular Pelosi is or how damaging her continued leadership is to the Democratic Party.

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