WASHINGTON — Vilified by Republicans on the campaign trail, Nancy Pelosi emerged Wednesday as President Donald Trump’s preferred choice to become speaker of the House, arriving on Capitol Hill with an air of inevitability after leading her party back to the majority.
The Democratic leader is positioned to return to the speaker’s office after Democrats took back the House in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Already the only woman to have held the job, she would also become one of the few lawmakers to reclaim the gavel after losing it.
Pelosi is a “smart woman,” Trump said during a nearly 90-minute press conference at the White House, and someone with whom he hopes to engage in “beautiful bipartisanship” and deal-making. It was a role reversal from just days ago, when he warned voters of her “radical” agenda. She “deserved” to become speaker again after winning the House, Trump said Wednesday, adding that he looked forward to doing “a tremendous amount of legislation” once power in Congress is divided between a Democratic House and Republican Senate.
At the Capitol, in the stately Rayburn Room — named after the last speaker who returned to the office — Pelosi was asked if she was confident she would become speaker when the new Congress convenes in January. She said simply: “Yes, I am.”
Yet ascent of the California Democrat is nowhere near guaranteed. Many younger House Democrats, including some of the newly elected, have pledged to vote against her. They are reluctant to shout the name “Pelosi” when the cameras zoom in during the first roll call of Congress, fearful of the attack ads that will be launched against them.
As Trump and Pelosi extended overtures across Pennsylvania Avenue, they also shadowboxed around the new dynamic created by the House’s ability to probe the president’s business dealings and his administration. The president warned Democrats not to push too hard with their investigations, or he would smack back even harder; Pelosi vowed that they would conduct responsible oversight.
The two have reasons to cooperate. Both want to score legislative wins to bring to voters ahead of the 2020 election. They talked on election night about doing an infrastructure package and lowering health care costs, particularly around prescription drugs, priorities for both sides.
“There’s plenty of opportunity,” Pelosi said, noting she worked productively with President George W. Bush during her last turn as speaker. She also referenced Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters of California, another favorite Trump villain, who is set to lead the powerful Financial Services Committee.
