Nancy Pelosi

The Next Gingrich? How Democrats Could Win, And Pelosi Still Lose

Brian Beutler | October 21, 2010, 11:48AM

Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner

A small but growing number of Democrats have abandoned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- the GOP's second-favorite bogeyman in contested districts. Depending on how you count, about five have even said they oppose her continued Speakership if the Democrats retain the House.

That may sound like no big deal -- who cares if some of the most conservative Democrats in the House won't vote for Pelosi, so long as a majority of her caucus still supports her, right? Wrong.

The Speaker is a unique office-holder on Capitol Hill, elected by a plurality of the full House of Representatives. Even if Democrats can retain the House, their margin will likely be slimmer than it is now. And that could touch off a scenario in which there's a majority of Democrats in Congress, but a minority of members of Congress willing to vote for Pelosi as Speaker.

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Nancy Pelosi

Top Five Examples Of Dems Running Scared From Nancy Pelosi (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | October 1, 2010, 12:35PM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

It's too early to predict the outcome of the 2010 elections, but one thing we know for sure: If Democrats lose their majority in the House, Nancy Pelosi will not be Speaker anymore. That's certainly one of the reasons that she doesn't bat an eye (publicly, at least) when vulnerable and conservative Democrats run from her on the campaign trail.

"Sometimes Washington gets used to a rubber-stamp Congress which was the very homogeneous Congress of the Republicans," Pelosi said on PBS last night. "We are very diverse in opinion, gender, generation, geography, philosophy and the rest -- the House Democratic Caucus -- and some members did not vote for some the bills and that's their record and that's what they go out and say. I just want them to win."

But these candidates are not just running against their records. They're singling out Pelosi as the agent in Washington with whom they disagree with the most. Below, a list of the five most blatant examples of Democrats running scared from Pelosi.

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Health Care

Five Conservative Dems Campaigning On Opposition To Health Care Reform

Eric Kleefeld | August 30, 2010, 8:57AM

Demonstrators rally outside of the U.S. Capitol Building.

An interesting pattern has started to emerge in this midterm election, which could be dominated by the continuing debate over the health care reform law passed earlier this year. A whole bunch of Dems from Republican-leaning districts have been running ads in which they tout their opposition to the bill.

So let's take a look at some of these conservative Dems. Will their votes against the bill -- and their public campaigning on those votes -- actually work for them in November?

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Bobby Bright

Blue Dog Bobby Bright Jokes That Pelosi Could 'Get Sick And Die'

Eric Kleefeld | August 26, 2010, 11:48AM

Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL).

Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL), a freshman Blue Dog, is trying to give some humorous examples to fend off accusations from his conservative constituents that he's an automatic vote for Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker: As Bright seemed to joke, Pelosi could die before it comes to that.

As the Montgomery Advertiser reported, Bright was speaking to the local Chamber of Commerce about his possible vote for Pelosi:

Bright, who is is in his first year in Congress and facing a battle against Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby this fall, joked that Pelosi might lose her own election, decide not to run for the speaker's job or otherwise not be available.

He suggested, jokingly he insisted to his audience, that Pelosi could fall ill and die in coming months. That remark drew laughter from the crowd.

Greg Sargent spoke to the Advertisers's reporter, who gave Greg the original quote from Bright. "Let's wait until that comes up," Bright said, then giving a long list of reasons why Pelosi might not run for Speaker of the House. "Heck, she might even get sick and die."

Health Care

Blue Dog Bright Tells Constituents He's Still A 'No' On Health Care

Christina Bellantoni | December 29, 2009, 10:15AM

Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL).

Blue Dog Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL) is unlikely to vote for the final health care bill despite House leadership's confidence they will earn support from fiscal conservatives.

Bright, in one of the state's reddest districts, said in a Kiwanis speech reported by the local paper he thinks both the House and Senate bills don't do enough to curb rising costs.

"After it comes back from conference committee, unless it significantly reduces the expense that I know it's going to add to our budget, I will not be able to support it," Bright said.

He restated his opposition to a public option and told Kiwanis attendees he was "proud" the Senate's version did not include one but said the Senate bill is still "entirely too expensive."

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Bobby Bright

Alabama Blue Dog Bobby Bright, Asked Whether He'll Stay A Democrat: Merry Christmas

Eric Kleefeld | December 22, 2009, 6:21PM

Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL).

Earlier today I asked the office of Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL), now the only remaining conservative Democrat from a McCain district in Alabama, whether he could end up following in the footsteps of Rep. Parker Griffith and leaving the Democratic Party -- and I received a very inconclusive answer.

Bright has a lot in common with Griffith, who announced his party switch earlier today: Both are freshmen from districts that voted heavily for John McCain in 2008; they each won their races very narrowly; and both have voted against the big-ticket items of the Democratic agenda this year. So I asked what Bright's thoughts were on Griffith, whether he was committed to staying with the Democrats, and what his overall concerns might be about the political situation in Congress.

His spokesman just sent me back this statement from the Congressman: "In this season of great promise, we should focus on that which draws us together: faith, family, and service. These are not partisan values and as I have said many times, we are stronger as people, communities, and as a nation when we seek common ground rather than focusing on what divides us. I hope, for a few days at least, we can put politics aside and focus on the true joys of the Christmas season."