WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., plans to address her future in Congress to her colleagues on Thursday, according to her spokesperson.
"@SpeakerPelosi has been overwhelmed by calls from colleagues, friends and supporters. This evening, the Speaker monitored returns in the three remaining critical states. The Speaker plans to address her future plans tomorrow to her colleagues. Stay tuned," Pelosi spokesperson Drew Hammill tweeted Wednesday night.
As Democrats celebrate overperforming expectations in the midterm elections, a conversation between Pelosi and fellow members of the California delegation has fueled speculation on the question of will Pelosi stay or will she step down from her leadership role.
Members left the chat with the impression that the speaker's decision would likely come before the Thanksgiving break, multiple sources familiar with the conversation told NBC News earlier Wednesday, with some adding that patience within the party caucus is waning.
Some sources speculated that her decision could come in a letter to colleagues — her preferred method of communication with the caucus.
Pelosi said Sunday she wouldn’t engage with questions about her future until all races were called. NBC News projected Wednesday night that Republicans had won control of the House.
Meanwhile, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, is being urged to pursue the leadership role and has met with rank-and-file members. In the office of New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Tuesday, he was urged not to miss his moment.
Jeffries, 52, and Reps. Katherine Clark, 59, and Pete Aguilar, 43, have been widely seen to be part of a trio who could embody a new era of leadership.
Remember: we still don’t know what the current No. 2 and 3 — Reps. Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn — plan to do yet either.
Punchbowl News was first to report the Pelosi call with the CA delegation.
