Ask House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi if she’ll survive in her post as the top Democrat in the House of Representatives despite renewed criticism this week, and the San Francisco representative won’t blink.

“I thrive on competition,” Pelosi said on Thursday, defying calls for her ouster from some members of her own party after Democratic candidates lost a hotly contested Congressional race in Georgia and another race in South Carolina earlier in the week, the third and fourth such losses for Democrats in special elections to replace the appointees of President Donald Trump this year.

Related: After Handel tops Ossoff in Georgia, GOP special election dominance in Trump era continues

“I think I’m worth the trouble. I love the fray,” Pelosi said at a news conference, advising against a change of leadership at a time when Republicans dominate both chambers of Congress and the White House.

Rep. Tim Ryan , D-Ohio, on Thursday criticized Pelosi, saying that the Democratic brand is more toxic than Trump’s, which he said has led to Democratic losses in election races, like that one in Georgia.

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In an interview, Ryan explained that Republicans are using Pelosi in ads to attack Democratic candidates in district races, like they did against Jon Ossoff in Georgia. Ryan lost a bid to replace Pelosi as the top elected Democrat in the House in November.

“I had a member of Congress grab me tonight and say, ‘Please tell me you’re not going to get rid of Nancy Pelosi, please tell me she’s not going to retire because that’s who I run against,’” Ryan told CNN’s Don Lemon this week.

In the run-up to the Georgia election, an attack ad painted Ossoff as a candidate with San Francisco interests.

Ryan wasn’t alone in his criticism of Pelosi.

Politico reported that a number of House Democrats met on Thursday to discuss ways to replace Pelosi, something they say is necessary to win House seats in the 2018 election. Conservative strategist Frank Luntz took to Twitter to say “she represents everything swing voters dislike about D.C.”

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The criticism toward Pelosi is not new but the recent backlash against her led some liberals to reiterate their support for the long-time party leader. On Twitter, the hashtag #StandWithNancy began trending with messages of support.

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https://twitter.com/MariaTCardona/status/877927097301438464

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Conservatives hijacked the hashtag later that day, using it to reiterate the point Luntz and others have made about Pelosi’s brand being out of touch with Americans. Even Trump said in a tweet that he hoped Democrats don’t force Pelosi out of her leadership role. “That would be very bad for the Republican Party,” he tweeted.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/877892883352702976

https://twitter.com/cabot_phillips/status/877992482126024704

https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/877642242973810690

Despite being blamed for having a “toxic” brand that turns voters off, Pelosi is credited for being a successful fundraiser for the party. According to CNN, Pelosi has helped the Democratic Party raise some $568 million since 2002. She’s also credited for many legislative successes on Capitol Hill.

The challenge for Democrats, as pointed in Politico’s reporting, is that there are no viable candidates to challenge Pelosi and take over the leadership. The question of whether the Democratic Party can succeed in district races preoccupies many, including the San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board.

Read the Union-Tribune editorial: Consumed by Trump hatred, Democratic Party consuming itself

Is Pelosi the proper scapegoat for all the woes of the Democratic party in the Trump era? Do Democrats have a bigger problem than their leadership? Curious to hear your thoughts on this political story.

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Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

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