Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 20 November 2018

In threat to Pelosi,

16 Dems say they’ll

back new leadership

Continued from Friont the House Floor.”
Pelosi has activated an ag-
Of the 16 Democrats who gressive campaign for the
signed the letter — which job involving House col-
stops short of explicitly say- leagues, prominent out-
ing they will vote for an side Democrats and party-
opposing candidate for aligned interest groups. Her
speaker — all but two are office distributed endorse-
men: Reps. Kathleen Rice ments Monday from nine
of New York and Califor- House Democrats who are
nia’s Linda Sanchez. military veterans and Uni-
“We promised to change dosUS, a Hispanic civil rights
the status quo, and we organization.
intend to deliver on that Known as a precise vote
promise,” the authors counter with a keen sense
wrote, referring to cam- of her caucus’ leanings, Pe-
paign pledges by a num- losi is aided by the lack of
ber of Democratic candi- a declared opponent and Assistant Minority Leader Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., center, is followed by outgoing Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., as they exit a Democratic
dates. “Therefore, we are many weeks during which Caucus meeting in the basement of the Capitol where new members of the House and veteran
committed to voting for she can dangle choice representatives gathered behind closed doors to discuss their agenda when they become the
new leadership in both our committee assignments, majority in the 116th Congress, in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018.
Caucus meeting and on rules changes and other Ass0ciated Press
goodies to help attract ent” or misses the vote and ads portraying her as an
support.”Leader Pelosi re- Republicans oppose her out-of-touch liberal have
mains confident in her sup- en masse, as seems likely. made it hard for moderate
port among Members and At 232 seats, Pelosi could Democrats to win in swing
Members-elect,” spokes- afford to lose just 14 Dem- districts.
man Drew Hammill said in a ocrats and still become Pelosi allies counter that the
written statement. He said speaker. party just won House con-
94 percent of House Dem- The rebels’ letter to their trol with their biggest gain
ocrats declined to sign the Democratic colleagues of seats since the 1974 post-
letter, though Pelosi oppo- praises Pelosi, 78, as “a his- Watergate election. Many
nents said they expect oth- toric figure” who helped bristle at dumping her at a
ers who didn’t sign to vote win major victories. Pe- time when President Don-
against her. losi was speaker from 2007 ald Trump and the #MeToo
Though the mavericks’ through 2010 when Demo- movement have helped
numbers represent a hand- crats held the majority and attract female candidates
ful of the 232 House Dem- has been the party’s lead- and voters to the party.
ocrats elected, plus five er since 2003. Rep. Steny Hoyer of Mary-
races still undecided, they “We also recognize that in land has been No. 2 House
could still garner enough this recent election, Dem- Democrat since 2003 and
opposition to thwart her. ocrats ran and won on a South Carolina’s Jim Cly-
Pelosi seems certain to message of change,” they burn has been No. 3 since
have enough support to wrote. “Our majority came 2007. Both are in their late
become her party’s nomi- on the backs of candidates 70s and are running, unop-
nee for speaker when who said that they would posed so far, for those posts
House Democrats vote by support new leadership be- again.
secret ballot on Nov. 28. cause voters in hard-won Of the letter’s signees, five
She will need only a ma- districts, and across the are incoming House fresh-
jority of Democrats in that country, want to see real men or hope to be. Two
contest. change in Washington.” of them — Anthony Brindisi
But when the full House Pelosi’s critics say the par- of New York and Ben Mc-
elects its new leaders Jan. ty’s long-serving top lead- Adams of Utah — are in
3, the speaker will need a ers must make room for races in which The Associ-
majority 218 votes, assum- younger members. They ated Press has yet to call a
ing that no one votes “pres- say years of Republican winner.q