WASHINGTON (LOOTPRESS) – In a heartfelt video message framed by sweeping views of San Francisco’s skyline, Rep. Nancy Pelosi — the first woman to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives — announced Thursday that she will not seek re-election in 2026.
“With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative,” Pelosi, 85, said in her message to constituents. “San Francisco, know your power. We have made history, we have made progress — and we must continue to lead.”
Pelosi’s farewell marks the end of an era for both her city and her party. Over a storied four-decade career, she became one of the most powerful and polarizing figures in American politics, steering landmark legislation through Congress, raising record sums for Democrats, and cementing her place in history as a master strategist and trailblazer.
Pelosi led House Democrats for 20 years, from 2002 to 2022, shaping policy under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden while serving as a formidable counterweight to Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump. Even after stepping down from leadership, she remained in Congress with the honorary title of “speaker emerita.”
Her decision comes after months of speculation, with California Democrats and Capitol Hill insiders anticipating her retirement. The move will set off a fierce battle for her deep-blue San Francisco seat — one that has not seen a truly competitive race since she first won it in a 1987 special election following the death of Rep. Sala Burton.
Among those already eyeing the seat are state Sen. Scott Wiener, 55, and Saikat Chakrabarti, 39, a tech entrepreneur and co-founder of Justice Democrats, the group that helped launch Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to national prominence. Pelosi’s departure is expected to draw more contenders eager to inherit one of the most influential political platforms in the country.
Born in Baltimore in 1940 to a family steeped in Democratic politics — her father, Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., served both in Congress and as mayor — Pelosi’s political acumen was evident early. After raising five children, she entered politics herself, eventually rising through the ranks to become minority whip in 2001 and, a year later, the top Democrat in the House.
When Democrats reclaimed the majority in 2006, Pelosi shattered a historic barrier by becoming the first woman ever elected Speaker of the House — a position she would hold twice, guiding her caucus through some of the most tumultuous years in modern U.S. politics.
As Pelosi prepares for her final year in office, her message to San Francisco was both reflective and forward-looking: “We have always led the way. Let us continue to do so — by standing firm for our democracy and for the American ideals we hold dear.”
