House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Friday stated that the Democrats’ 2019 leadership races will take place after Thanksgiving.
According to The Hill, this is allowing a long window for the dust to settle after midterm elections that could dramatically reconfigure the top of the party next year.
In 2016 the Democrats were shocked by President Donald Trump’s win which left them stunned that the big gains they’d expected in the House and Senate didn’t materialize.
During that period newer lawmakers demanded more power and voice within the caucus.
Expecting a big increase in Democratic seats after the midterm elections, 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 troops. “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 common sentiment remains that the outcome of the midterm elections will be the single largest factor shaping the party’s leadership slate next year, The Hill reported.
“Until the day after the election, all of the discussion is for naught,” said Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver. “After the election, every phone call that can possibly be made within a 24-hour period will be made.”
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