Research Briefing

Pelosi, Hoyer And Clyburn Remain At The Top, Ignoring Voters’ Call For Change

“You Know The Line Of That Old Song, ‘Meet The New Boss, Same As The Old Boss.’ Well, Despite A Mini Rebellion From Rank And File, Democrats Are About To Reinstall The Same Leadership Team That Oversaw The Biggest Shift In Political Power In More Than 50 Years.  And, Of Course, That Leadership Team Is Headed By Nancy Pelosi.” (MSNBC’s “Jansing & Co.,” 11/16/10)

HOUSE DEMOCRATS STICK TO THE SAME LEADERSHIP TEAM

Nancy Pelosi Will Remain At The Top Of The House Democrats’ Leadership Team. “Speaker Nancy Pelosi has forged a tentative deal in which she would remain the party's leader in the House when Democrats become the minority in the next Congress, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (Md.) would take the No. 2 spot and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn would move down to the third-ranking position, which Pelosi has called ‘assistant leader.’” (Krissah Thompson, “Black Caucus Members Dissatisfied With Pelosi's Plan,” The Washington Post’s “Post Politics” Blog, 11/16/10)

• The Leadership Team Will Be Made Up Of “Lawmakers Who Are 70 Or Older And Have Served In Congress For Decades.” “A younger generation of Democrats is chafing at being asked to stand aside and let a triumvirate of elders keep their leadership positions in the wake of a catastrophic midterm election result. Barring an unexpected shake-up, House Democrats next year will be led by a combination of Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), Steny Hoyer (Md.) and James Clyburn (S.C.) — lawmakers who are 70 or older and have served in Congress for decades.” (Russell Berman, “Room At The Top? Not For New Dems,” The Hill, 11/10/10)

IGNORING THE MESSAGE FROM VOTERS IN THEIR MIDTERM LOSSES

“‘It Is Inescapable That The Message That Was Sent By The American People Is They Want A Change In Direction. And A Change In Direction Means A Change In Leadership,’ Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) Said On Fox News Last Week.” (Russell Berman, “Room At The Top? Not For New Dems,” The Hill, 11/10/10)

Democrat Losses Led Many To Anticipate A Change In Leadership. “Most rank-and-file Democrats would have been happy with these leaders had their party retained its majority in the 112th Congress, but the loss of the House and at least 60 seats led many to anticipate a changing of the guard.” (Russell Berman, “Room At The Top? Not For New Dems,” The Hill, 11/10/10)

• Heath Shuler (D-NC) Called Pelosi Candidacy For Minority Leader “Unacceptable” After The Midterm Results.  “On Sunday Shuler said that he hoped Pelosi would read the tea leaves of this year’s election and step aside so that Democrats could move in a more moderate direction. … Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Shuler called Pelosi's candidacy ‘unacceptable’ and urged his party to move in a more moderate direction in order to recover lost seats in 2012.”  (Abby Phillip, “Shuler: I’ll Run If Pelosi Does,” Politico, 11/14/10)
• Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA) Said Midterm Losses Are Partly Because Of Pelosi’s Leadership, And That She “Drove The Bus...Off The Grand Canyon.” “U.S. Rep. Tim Holden on Friday joined a growing chorus of House Democrats who believe their caucus needs new leadership when the 112th Congress convenes in January.  Holden, D-17, said current Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who represents the San Francisco area, is largely responsible for the party's crushing defeat in congressional elections earlier this week. ‘She just drove the bus ... off the Grand Canyon,’ Holden said in an interview with The Republican-Herald. ‘I don't think she should be the leader of the Democratic party.’”  (Ben Wolfgan, “Holden Says Pelosi Is Responsible For Democrats’ Losses, Should Step Down As Party Leader,” Republican Herald, 11/6/10)
• Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) Said That After Such A “Defeat,” Leadership Should Change. “Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) compared the situation to that of a sports team that has had a bad season. ‘When you suffer a defeat as big as we have, you have to change something. And often you have to change the person who led you in that direction,’ he said.” (Paul Kane And Perry Bacon, Jr., “Speaker Nancy Pelosi To Seek Minority Leader Post,” The Washington Post, 11/6/10)

MEANWHILE, SENATE DEMOCRATS STILL CAN’T FIND SOMEONE TO LEAD THEIR CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Harry Reid Can’t Find Any Volunteers To Chair The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “When Senate Democrats held their leadership elections Tuesday morning, one spot was left vacant. There is still no chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and it appears the reason is that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hasn't convinced anyone to take the job yet.” (Dana Bash, “Help Wanted: DSCC,” CNN’s Political Ticker, 11/16/10)

“It’s The Job No Senate Democrat Wants.” (Patrick O’Connor, “Help Wanted: New DSCC Chairman,” The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire Blog, 11/16/10)

Many Senate Democrats Up For Re-Election In 2012 Are Already Considered To Be In Serious Trouble. “Last week's election was bad for Democrats. The next one could be worse. Senate Democrats running in 2012 will be trying to hold their jobs in states where Republicans just scored major congressional and gubernatorial victories — Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, New Mexico and Virginia.” (“Bad News Democrats _ 2012 Could Be Worse Than 2010,” The Associated Press, 11/9/10)