As a speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi Relief Bill Sends to Trump in Florida Meghan McCain Says Merry Christmas to Everyone Except ‘Healthy People Under 65’ Who Get Vaccine Before Frontline Workers Reject House GOP Unanimous Permission For, 000 Direct Payments MORE (D-Calif.) Seeking support to hold the gavel for another term, her allies are keeping a close eye on a possible wildcard that could complicate her path next month: COVID-19.
Pelosi is already facing a much smaller majority in the next Congress, after Democrats were defeated in the polls in November, meaning she can afford far fewer Democratic apostates than the 15 who opposed her two years ago. And lawmakers must be on the floor of the House to cast their votes for Speaker, giving members the option to vote remotely, as many did during the pandemic.
The combination of factors creates the likelihood that Democrats will face a dilemma on Jan. 3, with Pelosi locking up Democratic support to remain Speaker, but concerns about the coronavirus – diseases, quarantines, or otherwise – prevent a sufficient number of them from the Capitol is. to log their votes.
If Pelosi fails to get the support of half of the voting members, the process would at least cause chaos. In the Democrats ‘nightmare scenario, the math could tilt so far in the Republicans’ favor that it yields a GOP speaker.
Let’s say theoretically we had six or eight people with Covid and the Republicans have none. They could probably choose [Kevin] McCarthy, ”said Rep. John Yarmuth
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Lawmakers were reminded of their vulnerability this week when five other members of the House tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of lawmakers infected to at least 35 since the pandemic hit the US about a year ago.
With that in mind, Pelosi’s supporters say it’s a holiday breakout – not Democratic opponents – that poses the biggest threat to Pelosi’s otherwise anticipated Speakership victory next month.
‘We are in a crisis in healthcare, right? Nobody can get sick. That’s the X factor here, ”said a House Democrat, a Pelosi ally, speaking anonymously to discuss a sensitive topic. “We need everyone to be healthy. … That’s the big fear. “
Some of those fears are being allayed with the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine. To protect the continuity of the government, House and Senate lawmakers now have the option of getting a vaccination from the attending physician in the Capitol. Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
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“While the vaccine is being distributed, we should all continue to wear masks, social distance and other science-based steps to save lives and destroy the virus,” Pelosi tweeted next to a picture of her being vaccinated.
But many House lawmakers told The Hill they could stay healthy year-round by hiding in place and avoiding the Capitol altogether. Emergency rules, passed by Democrats in May, have allowed lawmakers to vote remotely or by proxy. That means older members, those battling cancer and other illnesses, or those looking after small children, didn’t have to fly back to Washington every week for votes. For example, on December 18, nearly 90 Democrats voted by proxy.
But the proxy rule is ending with the new Congress, requiring lawmakers to be in the Capitol in person if they want to participate in the Jan. 3 floor vote for Speaker. The House will pass a new set of rules for the 117th Congress just after the President’s vote.
That makes physical presence tantamount to Pelosi’s success, as the Democrats are on track to have a razor-thin majority of 222 seats, and at least three moderate caucus members have already announced they have no intention of running on Jan. vote for Pelosi. . 3: Reps. Conor Lamb (Pa.), Jared Golden (Maine) and Elissa Slotkin
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To complicate the math, several Democrats have ongoing health problems unrelated to the coronavirus that have kept them out of the Capitol for most of the year. A handful of COVID-19 cases on top of that, some fear, could sink Pelosi’s prospects.
“COVID is a joker,” said Rep. Hank Johnson
Henry (Hank) C. Johnson Democratic Senators Announce Bill to Ban Discrimination in Financial Services Five Takeaways as Panel Grills Tech CEOs Lawmakers, Public Farewell to John Lewis MORE (D-Ga.). “If we have sick members who cannot come back, and we only have a majority of four votes, it jeopardizes our entire arrival of the 117th Congress – a smooth arrival.”
Johnson warned that a chaotic Speaker’s vote on Jan. 3 would highlight internal party divisions at exactly the wrong time – just two days before a pair of special senatorial elections in his home state that will decide who controls the Senate for the next two years. .
“The consequences it could have for the race[s] in Georgia it is alarming, ”he said.
To avoid such a scenario, some of Pelosi’s allies informally turn down the Speaker’s critics, hoping they will support Pelosi for the sake of party unity – or at least vote “present,” which wouldn’t count against. the majority. As part of that pitch, some lawmakers are warning opponents that they are threatening the health of sick colleagues by forcing them to return to the Capitol to oppose “no” votes.
“That should be considered by these members who exercise a political privilege – that by doing so they put someone who is fighting a very difficult disease in a position where they have to take risks to offset their political privileges,” said a second Democratic. legislator.
“It’s frustrating because it has turned into something bigger than it should be,” added the legislator. “It was like a strange anecdote that people could say they voted for Colin Powell
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“This is no longer an opportunity to express your opinion; this is a consistent vote. “
However, some Pelosi allies are seeing a silver lining in the pandemic as it relates to her success in holding the gavel on Jan. 3. In short, they say it could earn her critics – those who have promised voters they will oppose her – with a handy excuse not to be on the ground that day.
“COVID could be a useful way to address some strategic absences,” said a third House Democrat, who also spoke anonymously to discuss the strategy. “If you have a member, say, who has self-contained themselves this way, and they have a sick or elderly relative in the household, or a new baby, or something else, being strategically absent is one way to keep their promise while they lower the denominator to help Pelosi. “
Of course, it is unclear how many lawmakers should be quarantined in the first week of next year. But health experts warn of an increase in the number of cases during the long December holidays, when cold weather forces more and more people in. And some Democrats admit that it is only inevitable that members of Congress, like everyone else, will be affected.
“Obviously, the concern is that with 435 people traveling across the country, it’s hard to imagine none of us will get the virus on January 3,” said a fourth House Democrat.
Pelosi, the country’s first female speaker, is no stranger to fending off challenges to her leadership over the years. She recently hit back a significant uprising in 2018, when she beeped to victory by 220 votes. And despite the tight margins, Democrats have an overwhelming sense that she will find a way to do it again next month – coronavirus or none.
There are the usual suspects who make it their mark to vote against her. But I think there is a realization – and there is certainly a message coming from the caucus – that this may not be a year for the usual branding, ”said Rep. Jim Himes
James (Jim) Andres HimesDemocrats Debate Trump’s Fate Investigates Biden Wins House Democrats Introduce Bill to Invest 0 Billion in STEM Research and Education Nightly Defense: Pentagon IG Checks Use of COVID-19 Funds on Contractors | Is optimistic about blocking Trump’s withdrawal in Germany | Obama denounces Trump MORE about foreign policy (D-Conn.). ‘We are a difficult group, but Pelosi is very good at what she does. So she’s going to make her money. “