Pelosi, a Democratic Leader for Decades, Exits With the Party at a Crossroads
WASHINGTON—Paul Simon, the Silent Generation songwriter, once sang that a character was “born at the right time.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), one of the last Silent Generation leaders in Washington, might know the feeling.
The lawmaker, who announced on Nov. 6 that she will not seek reelection, has led a powerful and polarizing career, one timed well to rack up female firsts and shepherd a more progressive Democratic Party through 21st-century wins, and losses, in the House.
Now, a leader who has helped steer her party to the left is departing at the Democrats’ time for choosing. The election of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has emboldened progressives even as others warn of the need to court moderates in 2026….