Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced Nov. 6 that she will not seek reelection in 2026, closing out the end of a nearly four-decade career in Congress.
“There has been no greater honor for me than to stand on the House floor and say, ‘I speak for the people of San Francisco,’” Pelosi said in a video shared on social media. “I have truly loved serving as your voice in Congress, and I’ve always honored the soul of Saint Francisco — ‘Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.’ The anthem of our city.”
Pelosi, 85, said she looks forward to her final year in office before her term ends in January 2027.
“As we go forward, my message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power,” she said. “We have made history, we have made progress, we have always led the way. And now we must continue to do so by remaining full participants in our democracy and fighting for the American ideals we hold dear.”
Pelosi entered Congress in 1987 after winning a special election to replace the late Rep. Sala Burton, D-Calif. She went on to serve as House speaker from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023.
A highly influential voice within the Democratic caucus, Pelosi often sparred with President Donald Trump — including famously tearing up his 2020 State of the Union address as he spoke — cementing her status as one of Washington’s most recognizable and polarizing figures.
Trump celebrated her retirement, calling it “a great thing for America” in comments to FOX News. He described Pelosi as “evil,” “corrupt,” and “only focused on bad things for our country.”
“She was rapidly losing control of her party and it was never coming back,” he added. “I’m very honored she impeached me twice and failed miserably.”
Speculation about Pelosi’s retirement has swirled in recent days. Her spokesperson, Ian Krager, told FOX Nov. 3 that Pelosi would not discuss her future until after Californians voted on Proposition 50, a ballot measure allowing Democrats to redraw the state’s congressional map. The measure passed Nov. 4 with 63.9% of voters in favor and 36.1% opposed.
Pelosi’s district is expected to remain safely Democratic. According to FOX, State Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat, and progressive activist Saikat Chakrabarti, a former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have already entered the race for Pelosi’s seat.
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