OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has won re-election after defeating her Republican opponent John Dennis in the midterm race.
“Pelosi, a towering figure in Democratic politics, won out against longshot Republican challenger John Dennis in the race for California’s 11th Congressional District. Over the years, Pelosi, 82, has become one of the most prominent faces of the Democratic Party,” CNN reported.
“As speaker, she has earned a reputation as a powerful and formidable leader to House Democrats who exerts significant influence and a tight grip over members of her caucus. Pelosi has also been a fierce adversary to Republicans and has become a highly polarizing figure in Washington as a result. Speculation over Pelosi’s future atop the House Democratic caucus has intensified as the midterms approached and Republicans fought to regain the House majority,” the report added.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat who has long represented San Francisco, has won a 19th term in Congress, defeating Republican John Dennis.
See live results: https://t.co/PkwWyaOpsp pic.twitter.com/YnQDE2S7zv
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) November 9, 2022
Pelosi spoke earlier this week about the possibility of retiring, saying the attack on her husband Paul Pelosi would affect her decision to retire.
In an interview with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, the host said that there has “been a lot of discussion about whether you’d retire if Democrats lose the House.”
The speaker responded by saying that the “decision will be affected about what happened the last week or two,” which got Cooper to ask, “Will your decision be impacted by the attack in any way?”
“Yes,” the Speaker said.
“It will?” the anchor asked.
“Yes,” she said.
It is likely that she will not be Speaker in 2023 as Republicans are predicted to win back the majority in the House and many speculated that she would retire if that were the case.
But now with the attack on her husband that appears to be the reasoning for her decision, if she does retire.
Describing when she was informed of the attack she said that the doorbell rang and then she heard “bang, bang, bang, bang, bang on the door.”
“So I run to the door, and I’m very scared,” she said. “I see the Capitol Police and they say, ‘We have to come in to talk to you.’”
Her immediate thoughts were of her children and her grandchildren.
“And I’m thinking my children, my grandchildren. I never thought it would be Paul because, you know, I knew he wouldn’t be out and about, shall we say. And so they came in. At that time, we didn’t even know where he was,” she said.
The Speaker broke her silence since this weekend after the vicious attack on her husband Paul Pelosi.
The 82-year-old hammer attack victim has returned home and the Speaker thanked everyone for their concern.
“With a grateful heart I thank all who sent kind words and prayers for Paul. It’s a long road but he will be well. Our security, our Democracy, our planet, our values are on the ballot. Believe that we will win — and help Get Out The Vote to make it so,” she said with an attached video.
Her husband was bludgeoned to near death and she is still using the opportunity to tell people to vote.
“Paul came home yesterday. That enables me to be at home with all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for your kind words, and your good wishes for Paul,” she said on a video call.
“It’s going to be a long haul, but he will be well. And, it’s just so tragic how it happened, but nonetheless, we have to be optimistic. He’s surrounded by family, so that’s a wonderful thing,” she said.
With a grateful heart I thank all who sent kind words and prayers for Paul. It’s a long road but he will be well.
Our security, our Democracy, our planet, our values are on the ballot. Believe that we will win — and help Get Out The Vote to make it so.-NPhttps://t.co/sWs0cfdQJN
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) November 4, 2022
David DePape, the man who allegedly attacked Paul Pelosi in his home, has been hit with two federal charges and six state charges.
The Department of Justice filed the charges on Monday and said that the attacker admitted that he wanted to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and get her to tell the “truth” and if she did not he was prepared to break her kneecaps, it said.
