Fifteen Democrats voted against returning Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPowell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings MORE to the Speaker's chair on Thursday, short of the dozens who originally pledged to oppose her return to power.

The defectors, nearly all freshman lawmakers, didn't all cast their votes for a single alternative candidate.

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Indeed, Pelosi's critics' efforts were hampered last year in large part because they failed to present a candidate who could serve as Speaker instead.

But a handful of freshman Democrats in swing districts who promised to oppose Pelosi on the campaign trail followed through on Thursday.

Lawmakers can vote for anyone as Speaker, which left defectors room to cast their votes for people outside of Congress.

Other defectors voted for current members of Congress.

Pelosi won the support of many of her critics by agreeing last month to serve no more than four more years as the House Democratic leader. Under the terms of the agreement, Democratic leaders would be limited to three two-year terms.

But each leader could serve another term if they secure support from two-thirds of the Democratic caucus. The deal applies retroactively to include the two terms that Pelosi previously served as Speaker from 2007 through 2011.

Below is a full list of the 15 Democratic defectors:

Anthony Brindisi (N.Y.): former Vice President Joe Biden

Jim Cooper (Tenn.): "present"

Jason Crow (Colo.): Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.)

Joe Cunningham (S.C.): Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.)

Jared Golden (Maine): Bustos

Kathleen Rice (N.Y.): Democratic Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams

Max Rose (N.Y.): Duckworth

Kurt Schrader (Ore.): Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio)

Mikie Sherrill (N.J.): Bustos

Abigail Spanberger (Va.): Bustos

Elissa Slotkin (Mich.) "present"

Jeff Van Drew (N.J.): "present"