# Lots of people are running against Pelosi. Who (if anyone) replaces her? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 19, 2018, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824 "2018-03-19T14:08:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/21 "2018-03-19T20:32:35Z")
\*Whoever \*the Dems pick will immediately be labeled “the most liberal Democrat in the House” anyway. So don’t let that prospect bother you. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/22 "2018-03-19T21:09:53Z")
for those that don’t know , speaker of the house legally does not have to be a member of the house. Of course the odds of a non house member being voted in are basically zero. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/23 "2018-03-20T15:33:41Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > This is an example of how the insiders see things differently than the public at large. The insiders see the non-flashy types. The public only sees the ones who get on TV or make dramatic moves and speeches. OK, but does anyone have an example of a time when Crowley did the non-flashy work of sponsoring a bill (other than naming-of-post-offices level stuff) and putting together a coalition to get it passed in the House? When you pay a fair amount of attention to what’s going on in Congress, the people doing the non-flashy work may not get the headlines, but you tend to keep on seeing their names a ways down in articles about this or that bill. To me, the fact that I don’t recognize this guy’s name at all says he’s not been doing all that much of the non-flashy work either. Maybe I’ve just been reading the wrong articles? ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/24 "2018-03-20T15:38:04Z")
Well according to your Wiki cite earlier, “Crowley serves as Democratic Caucus Vice-Chairman of the United States House of Representatives, the fifth highest leadership position in the House Democratic Caucus.” Which is not as big a deal as, say, the fourth highest leadership position in the House Democratic Caucus, but does suggest a level of recognition and leadership among his colleagues. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/25 "2018-03-20T16:26:11Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Well according to your Wiki cite earlier, “Crowley serves as Democratic Caucus Vice-Chairman of the United States House of Representatives, the fifth highest leadership position in the House Democratic Caucus.” Which is not as big a deal as, say, the fourth highest leadership position in the House Democratic Caucus, but does suggest a level of recognition and leadership among his colleagues. IOW, no example. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/26 "2018-03-20T17:22:20Z")
His anonymity may have a mundane reason. It’s easy to be well-liked if you never try to accomplish anything much. We need a Speaker with a backbone. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/27 "2018-03-20T17:26:36Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > We need a Speaker with a backbone. We have one. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/28 "2018-03-20T17:56:14Z")
The evidence of which is … what? And, as a follow-up, exactly who do you mean by “we”? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/29 "2018-03-20T17:59:29Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > for those that don’t know , speaker of the house legally does not have to be a member of the house. Of course the odds of a non house member being voted in are basically zero. I hate Hillary Clinton (and Skeletor Pelosi) but it would be awesome if the Dems grew some balls for once and elected Clinton as Speaker if they take the House in 2018. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/30 "2018-03-20T18:08:05Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Absolutely not. Letting the opposition have veto power over your leaders shows only weakness to an electorate that values strength. Yeah, you’d think democrats would have learned this by now. No matter how democrats act, republicans will call them communists, dictators and whatever else they want. Trying to earn republican approval is a gigantic waste of time. Whoever is competent at getting legislation passed is who should be majority leader if the dems win in 2018. Pelosi was supposedly pretty competent as getting votes cobbled together. So I don’t see the problem with her staying. I’m not sure who would do a better job of that, but I don’t know the other 200 or so dems in the house very well. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/31 "2018-03-20T18:32:36Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > > > We need a Speaker with a backbone. > > We have one. Oh yeah, is that the guy who got his family to pretend to wash dishes that were already clean, for a photo op? Backbone+stupid is not a good combination. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/32 "2018-03-20T18:32:56Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > We have one. Where? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/33 "2018-03-20T18:39:23Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And, as a follow-up, exactly who do you mean by “we”? We, the People of the United States, of course. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/34 "2018-03-20T18:54:53Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > One of the essential requirements for a Majority Leader/Speaker is that it goes to someone with a safe seat. Yeah, that worked well for Tom Foley. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/35 "2018-03-20T19:13:44Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I hate Hillary Clinton (and Skeletor Pelosi) but it would be awesome if the Dems grew some balls for once and elected Clinton as Speaker if they take the House in 2018. And then impeach both Trump and Pence making her president. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/36 "2018-03-20T19:44:05Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I hate Hillary Clinton (and Skeletor Pelosi) Yeah, it’s funny how conservatives really get off on demonizing strong, accomplished women. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/37 "2018-03-20T20:29:08Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yeah, it’s funny how conservatives really get off on demonizing strong, accomplished women. They demonize anyone with a (D) after their name, right? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/38 "2018-03-20T21:06:47Z")
‘D’ is for ‘Demon’ ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/39 "2018-03-20T21:19:20Z")
Why would anyone run against Pelosi? She’s the perfect person to lead the Democrats. Why change horses in midstream? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824/40 "2018-03-20T22:06:22Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Why would anyone run against Pelosi? She’s the perfect person to lead the Democrats. Why change horses in midstream? Two words: Long in the tooth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lots-of-people-are-running-against-pelosi-who-if-anyone-replaces-her/810824.md?page=3)