Pelosi's Leadership bid is Challenged by Rep. Tim Ryan

Of the last nine congresses, only two have been led by Democrats. Despite this terrible performance, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi has been reelected over and over to the Democrats’ highest leadership role. Now, as she runs once again for Minority Leader, Pelosi is being challenged by Congressman Tim Ryan, a young lawmaker from Ohio. Ryan is frustrated with Democrat losses and is aiming to shake things up. RealClearPolitics.com reports:

Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan will challenge Nancy Pelosi for House Democrats’ top leadership post, he said in a letter to colleagues Thursday afternoon.

Democrats have been in the majority for only two terms out of the last nine, he wrote, and pointed out that “under our current leadership, Democrats have been reduced to our smallest congressional minority since 1929.”

“While having a position in Democratic Leadership has never been my life’s ambition, after this election I believe we all need to re-evaluate our roles within the Caucus, the Democratic Party, and our country,” he wrote. “That is why I am announcing my run for Minority Leader of the Democratic Caucus and humbly request your support.”

Ryan and several House Democrats have expressed frustration with their current leadership following the party’s crushing defeat in last week’s election, where they lost the White House, failed to gain the Senate, and didn’t gain significant ground in the lower chamber.

The first signs of cracks in the caucus appeared earlier this week, when a group of members pushed Pelosi to delay leadership elections until after Thanksgiving to give them time to reflect and strategize on how to bounce back from the electoral damage. The elections are scheduled for Nov. 30, a day after lawmakers’ return from their holiday break.