House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiHoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at Supreme Court McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE (D-Calif.) announced Friday that the Democrats’ 2019 leadership races will take place after Thanksgiving, allowing a long window for the dust to settle after midterm elections that could dramatically reconfigure the top of the party next year.

The move takes a lesson from the leadership debate that occurred after the 2016 cycle, when the Democrats were shell-shocked by the ascension of President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE and left stunned that the big gains they’d expected in the House and Senate didn’t materialize.

Amid the turmoil, newer lawmakers clamored for more power and voice within the caucus.

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Pelosi and her top lieutenants — Reps. Steny Hoyer Steny Hamilton HoyerOVERNIGHT ENERGY: California seeks to sell only electric cars by 2035 | EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities | House energy package sparks criticism from left and right House energy package sparks criticism from left and right Hoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal MORE (Md.) and James Clyburn (S.C.) — had led the party for the last 12 years. Pelosi also faced a rare challenge to her long leadership reign from Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan Timothy (Tim) RyanNow's the time to make 'Social Emotional Learning' a national priority Mourners gather outside Supreme Court after passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Lincoln Project hits Trump for criticizing Goodyear, 'an American company' MORE. Pelosi won easily, though Ryan’s 63 votes were a sign of growing unrest.

That combination of factors led Pelosi to delay those leadership races to allow an internal debate about the party's strategic path forward.

Anticipating a similar debate this year — as well as a big increase in Democratic seats — Pelosi wants the leadership elections to take place after Thanksgiving, which falls on Nov. 22.

“If the elections were held today, we would win many new seats, putting us into the majority. This would mean more leadership positions, more committee assignments and a large freshman class,” Pelosi wrote Friday in a letter to her members.

“In that vein, I believe it is important that we follow the schedule for leadership elections that the caucus set last cycle, allowing additional time for freshmen to get oriented. My recommendation to the caucus would be to set leadership elections sometime after Thanksgiving, at a date to be determined by the caucus.”

The letter arrives as the debate over Democratic leadership is heating up following last month’s shocking primary defeat of Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), the caucus chairman, to a young democratic socialist with no political experience.

Crowley was viewed by many Democrats as the successor to Pelosi at the top of the party, and his surprise loss has reinvigorated the discussion about how the party can best win back the House in November — and who should lead it into a crucial 2020 presidential cycle.

The common sentiment remains that the outcome of the midterm elections will be the single largest factor shaping the party’s leadership slate next year.

“Until the day after the election, all of the discussion is for naught,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.). “After the election, every phone call that can possibly be made within a 24 hour period will be made.”

The House is scheduled to be in Washington for four weeks after the Nov. 6 elections — one week before Thanksgiving and three weeks afterward. The session is slated to end on Dec. 13.