Speaker of the House Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in San Francisco, October 27, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Blake

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in the House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to retain Speaker Nancy Pelosi as their leader when Republicans take control of the chamber in January.

Rejecting complaints that Pelosi was to blame for Democrats losing the House in the November 2 elections, they chose Pelosi as their incoming minority leader. Pelosi has served as House Speaker, the chamber’s presiding officer, since 2007. She is the first woman to hold the job. In the race for minority leader Pelosi won 150-43, defeating her only challenger, moderate Heath Shuler.