Depending on how things shake out in November, Democrats could be choosing an entirely new slate of leaders, from speaker on down, after nearly 16 years with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi at the helm. | Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images House Democrats delay leadership elections to December

House Democrats voted Tuesday to delay their leadership elections a full month past the November midterms, setting up a potentially lengthy and contentious battle for control of the caucus.

Democrats will now vote on their leaders — including speaker if they win back the House — after Dec. 5.


The plan, which was adopted on a voice vote during a private caucus meeting Tuesday, comes amid growing calls for generational change that the longtime leadership is trying to beat back.

Members didn’t settle on an exact date but wanted to push the votes into December to give incoming freshmen enough time to make it through all of their orientation duties. The midterm elections will be held on Nov. 6.

Depending on how things shake out in November, Democrats could be choosing an entirely new slate of leaders, from speaker on down, after nearly 16 years with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi at the helm.

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Pelosi plans to run for speaker again if Democrats win back the House but roughly two dozen Democratic candidates and a handful of current members have said publicly they won’t vote for her.

Pelosi’s allies say they’re confident that no one else in the caucus has the votes to beat her, giving the California Democrat an advantage even as the public whip count slowly moves against her.

Meanwhile Pelosi’s two deputies, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Assistant Minority Leader Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), have been floated as transitional leaders if Pelosi can’t get the votes.

But it’s unlikely the caucus’ most vocally rebellious members would support a transitional leader over a new crop of fresh faces if given the chance. Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn, all in their late seventies, have led the caucus for more than a decade.

The camp pushing for generational change has been quietly encouraging a handful of members to challenge the current longtime leaders but so far no one has stepped forward — and likely won’t until after the midterms.

The decision to delay the leadership elections follows a push from at least 20 members to do so.

The rank-and-file members settled on the idea over dinner at a popular Capitol Hill Italian restaurant earlier this month and approached their colleagues on the House floor the next day to gather signatures of support. But before the members could release their letter, Pelosi put out her own missive voicing support for the plan.

Democrats are divided on whether the delay benefits Pelosi.

Pelosi was forced to delay leadership elections in 2016 after a push from the rank-and-file. The move allowed Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) to mount a long-shot bid against her, winning one-third of the caucus’ support in a secret ballot vote.

Pushing the elections off a month this time would allow someone several weeks to campaign against Pelosi and try to gather support. But the move would also give Pelosi — known as a talented dealmaker — ample time to mingle with the incoming freshman and try to shore up support.

Meanwhile, lawmakers have already started to jockey for the only position currently open — House Democratic Caucus chair. The No. 4 leadership position will be up for grabs after current chairman Joe Crowley’s unexpected primary loss in June.

California Reps. Linda Sanchez, the current vice-chair behind Crowley, and Barbara Lee have already said they’re running for the post. Several other names have been floated, including Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), but no one else has announced plans to run.

