Do Democrats want Nancy Pelosi as speaker again? Poll finds more prefer 'someone else.'

[Baconator]

As Rep. Pelosi (D-Calif.) spends the week back on Capitol Hill trying to persuade her colleagues to give her another run at House speaker, fewer than one-quarter of self-identified Democrats — 23 percent — say their party’s lawmakers should pick her, while a larger 36 percent say they should choose “someone else” and a 41 percent plurality have no opinion, according to a new poll released Wednesday by Monmouth University.

Support for the current House minority leader becoming speaker dips further to 17 percent among the public overall, factoring in Republicans and independents.

It’s not surprising that Republicans would have an unfavorable opinion of the longtime Democratic leader. For many years they’ve vilified her as the personification of a liberal agenda. But Pelosi doesn’t garner rave ratings from Democrats either.

Just under 3 in 10 Democrats approve of Pelosi’s job performance as the party’s minority leader in the House, 29 percent, higher than the 16 percent who disapprove but dwarfed by a 55 percent majority who say they have no opinion of her efforts. Republicans are more decisive in their feelings about her, with 72 percent disapproving, 5 percent approving and 23 percent with no opinion.

More at link...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/14/more-democrats-prefer-someone-else-than-nancy-pelosi-become-house-speaker-new-poll-indicates/?utm_term=.00543441111c

_____________________

There could be a middle ground here with a clear date to turn over power before 2020 and an established line of succession right now.

[stonecutter357]

1. Do Democrats want Nancy Pelosi as speaker again? YES !

[metroins]

23. I don't

She is so easily vilified by the right.

Why can't we learn some optics?

Plus we could use some freshness in our party.

[thucythucy]

24. Can you name a single Democratic leader

who wouldn't be vilified by the right?

Please, give us names of Democrats who you think would be left alone by the right wing hate machine.

Keep in mind that Al Gore, John Kerry, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Al Franken... ALL of them were attacked as soon as they were recognized as effective leaders. Right wing vilification of Democrats goes all the way back to JFK attacked for "treason." Further back--FDR was accused of having syphilis. Further back than that--Al Smith was attacked as a pawn of the Pope.

The instant we start picking our leaders dependent on what right wingers say, is the instant we lose any chance of winning anything worth winning.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

56. +1

[awesomerwb1]

62. I agree that whoever the speaker was he/she would be vilified by the right

it comes with the territory.

But I doubt anyone would even come close to the hatred the gopers have for her. No one. She would definitely bring out the dumb faux/gop voters in 2020.

Another option would be to let her be the speaker for the first year, get shit done while mentoring someone and introducing her replacement later in the year.

[thucythucy]

95. Republicans all across the country ran against Pelosi this past midterm

and we cleaned their clocks.

Keep in mind that Pelosi was one of the most effective Speakers we've ever had. All sorts of great progressive legislation was passed by the House, only to get clogged in the Senate. She was in this regard far more effective than Harry Reid when it came to getting results.

As for "coming close to the hatred gopers have" for Pelosi, I think you underestimate the power of the RWNJ media and the gullibility of your average KGoper.

[awesomerwb1]

115. We can agree to disagree

Pelosi is the devil (or worse) to those idiots. No way a different speaker could generate the same amount she does.....well, maybe Maxine Waters.

We need Pelosi's experience right now but I do support a transition to someone younger eventually.

[metroins]

66. I think Pelosi has more "baggage"

The same thing Clinton had....years of attacks against her.

Every homebody republican knows pelosi's name.

A new person benefits from no name recognition.

[Tarheel_Dem]

89. Until Pelosi became Speaker, I doubt she was widely known outside her district. We don't let......

Republicans pick our candidates, and we shouldn't let them pick our leadership.

[thucythucy]

96. That didn't seem to do them any good

this past midterm.

Republicans all across the country ran against Pelosi, and they got wiped, including in many red or leaning red districts.

Just like Hillary won the popular vote by three million votes.

The fact that Republicans hate Pelosi is a plus in my book and makes me support her all the more.

Reminds me of another Democrat vilified by the GOP. Franklin "I welcome their hatred" Roosevelt. The GOP vilified him through three and a half terms in office. Maybe the party should have ditched him in 1936?

[brush]

106. So what. Pelosi's not running for national office. Stop with arguments repugs have made.

[Squinch]

53. Who do you name as someone who would do a better job?

Because "not her" and "not fresh" are not people.

[metroins]

63. Whoever steps up against her....

I'm not going to name people who haven't stepped.

[Squinch]

73. So anyone is better in your mind than Pelosi? Anyone who might "step up against her"?

[namahage]

80. Well, yeah.

Like that Kevin McCarthy fellow. He doesn't rile up the right like Pelosi does, so obviously he's the one!

[Squinch]

81. Your criteria is our Speaker needs to be liked by the right?

Tell me you are being sarcastic. Please.

[namahage]

82. Not MY criteria. Maybe I should have used one of those "smilies"...

oh, here it is:

[Squinch]

84. And I had concentrated on your "doesn't rile the right" and kind of slid past

the name.

I get the joke now.

[metroins]

88. We will have to see who steps.

Right now, I'm not a fan of Pelosi remaining speaker.

[Squinch]

91. Why not? And it would be nice if someone who opposes Pelosi could give a

less asinine reason than "we need new blood" or "the republicans hate her."

[brush]

107. I'm sure the Dems in the House are taking note that you're not in favor.

Pelosi will be speaker again and she'll be effective again as speaker.

[chillfactor]

55. you must be very young

if you want to out Nancy. I am 77 years old. I lived through her fight to get ObamaCare passed. There is not a "new" Democrat that can take her place as far as controlling the caucus, getting bills passed, raising money to help Democrats win office including many of these "new" Democrats. She is a strong effective Speaker and it pisses me off when people have no idea what Nancy has done for our party and will continue to do.

[metroins]

64. Oh jesus...

Not even worth responding to you.

[susanna]

99. I agree with you.

I am 50 and she has been one of the best Speakers of my voting lifetime.

The republicans will always demonize the Democratic Speaker, no matter who it is. The opposing party should have no say in our leadership.

For our own sake, I hope we stop this intra-party circular firing squad. This is not amateur hour. It is a dangerous time for our nation, and we need a seasoned Speaker who knows how to take the fight to our opponents.

It is Nancy for me.

[BlueJac]

58. I agree...

There has been big changes in Congress and I think leader should be someone newer. I saw her on so many Republican commercials this year it was ridiculous here in Florida! Think ahead not in the past!

[2naSalit]

69. Because they know she can kick their asses when she holds the gavel.

Don't forget, she helped us get the ACA and a pile of other things that wouldn't have been passed into law if it were not for her skills.

As an MPA who pays attention, I can't think of anyone as qualified to lead us through this immediate dilemma. I think she'll be willing to pass the gavel when the ship is rescued from sinking. She plays by the rules and that is what we need to weather this storm so that what is put into place to make corrections will not be overturned or contested in litigation. That is of utmost importance right now and we can ill afford to have anyone else, young or old, lead us through this darkness.

[Baconator]

75. How did the political strategies and personnel of the 90s...

... Work out for us in 2016…?

Time to move forward.

[thucythucy]

97. And how did running against Pelosi

work for Republicans in 2018?

BTW--Clinton won the popular vote by three million. Which in any other context would have been a landslide.

It wasn't "the political strategies and personnel of the '90s" that did us in. It was voter suppression, Comey's unethical intrusion into the election, and Russian hacking and collusion with the Trump campaign that gave us the current monstrosity.

"Moving forward" shouldn't mean ignoring criminal activity by blaming the victims of that activity.

[Squinch]

77. You would rather a speaker that was not on republican commercials? You would prefer

someone republicans like better? You think we are backward-looking if we pick someone who makes republicans mad?

[brush]

108. Get a clue. You saw her on many repug commercials but who won the election.

We did so it didn't work. Learn something from that.

Repugs hate her, we hate Paul Ryan.

That's how it works. Repugs sure didn't give a shit what Dems thought about who their speaker was and we damn sure shouldn't give a shit what repugs think about who our speaker is.

[LBM20]

71. They'll vilify ANYONE on our side, BUT I just simply think it is time for a CHANGE. Time for new

blood.

[Charlotte Little]

100. She's an older woman and the left eat their own.

Just be honest and admit both are true.

Schumer didn't do shit in terms of helping the senate and he skates in again.

Meanwhile, Pelosi ate her way through barbed wire fence encrusted with rotten pig liver to help the party and...

"You guys! She's so easily vilified by the right. Why can't we learn some optics? Plus, we could use some freshness in our party."

Translation: "She's a strong (shrill) woman who should shut her mouth and give up her power for a white man (we must win over the rural white men, remember?). Why can't we get a younger person in power, preferably a man. Plus, did I mention? We need some young person, not that old bitch...preferably a man. Well, you know...that Ocasio Cortez is pretty hot, so if not a man, then... "

Admit it, metroins. That is more what you mean.

The transparency of this shit is ghastly.

Pelosi ate her way through barbed wire fence encrusted with rotten pig liver to help the party. So, yeah, fuck all ya'll haters. (and I don't even care if this gets me in trouble oh this forum. It's all about principle, and I gots it.)

[DURHAM D]

110. Well said. nt

[brush]

105. Can't believe someone on DU fell for repug talking points.

Any Democratic leader will be vilified by the right.

Good effin God!

If she/he wasn't vilified by the right they'd be doing a terrible job.

[WA-03 Democrat]

101. Yes Please! Go Nancy Go!

[CincyDem]

2. Anyone but a strong, qualified, experienced woman. Hmmm...where have I heard that before. n/t

[TheBlackAdder]

87. It seems like decades-long Anti-Pelosi campaign of FOX News & GOP is as successful as Anti-Clinton.

[Baconator]

92. Meh...

Facts are facts...

Let's at least be realistic and admit that she has some negatives as well as positives.

It should be fine to discuss which one outweighs the other.

[brush]

109. Wake up. The discussion is over. Repugs ran against her in the election...

and got washed out to sea by the huge blue wave of winning Democrats who kicked their asses.

Case and argument closed.

[Small-Axe]

3. This Democrat Does. An Emphatic: YES!!!

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

4. Oh EMM Effing Gee!

The woman is going to have the votes! We're going to talk about this just long enough for it to be a campaign issue in 2020.

These same quotes from DEMS are going to be on tv ads in order to garner votes or repukes.

[Baconator]

14. Hey...

[2naSalit]

70. +1

[gratuitous]

5. That pot's not going to stir itself

Thank the gods that the Post is here to breathlessly report on "Dems in Disarray®" their preferred narrative to avoid reporting on the dumpster fire happening at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

[brooklynite]

49. Of course the post is also breathlessly reporting on the challenge between McCarthy and Jordan...

...but that wouldn't be nearly as good a narrative, would it?

[gratuitous]

57. Since that vote has already happened, and Jordan lost by a large margin

I'm not sure why the Post would be "breathlessly reporting" on it. But, okay.

[brooklynite]

67. They were reporting up to the vote. Is there a fixed number of stories that are acceptable?

[apcalc]

6. Baloney. We want Pelosi.

[monmouth4]

7. So tired of these anti-Nancy posts. What polls? Who cares whether repukes approve or not? n/t

[Baconator]

10. I would suggest that the Republican thoughts on the matter ...

... aren't the part we should pay attention to.

[Skidmore]

8. Who polls???

Kinda like "many say?"

[Baconator]

11. Monmouth

https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/monmouthpoll_us_111418/

Interesting stuff beyond the Pelosi issue...

[obamanut2012]

26. I didn't know her fellow Reps voted via Monmouth for Speaker

[Baconator]

39. Literally no one is suggesting that..

Are you going down the 2016 rabbit hole of "polls don't matter... Who gives a shit what the people want?"

[LanternWaste]

45. Is that the same rabbit hole that contains the subjective and meaningless phrases

"new blood" and "too old", both lacking any objective evidence at all to support them?

Or are you referring to a different hole... one in which you've not greatly assisted in digging to nowhere?

[FarPoint]

9. I want and we need

Madam Speaker Pelosi.... experience is our lifeline.

[dubyadiprecession]

12. Pelosi can't be a big enough pain in the ass for Trump!

[Baconator]

13. He's salivating at the thought I'm sure...

[genxlib]

16. Ahh....the mythical "Someone Else"

He is also the best backup quarterback in the league.

[Iggo]

17. On my fantasy team, that'd be Dak Prescott.

Is that who we really want?

I don't think so.

[JCanete]

30. oh crap, your someone else is a he? And I thought 36 percent of us were on the same page. nt

[jberryhill]

44. Also, popular prom date

[NurseJackie]

47. On the proverbial "Generic Ballot" I'll bet.

[pnwmom]

18. Who cares? They've swallowed the hater Kool-aid. They have no idea how she functions

in Congress. If they dislike her it's because they have a vague impression that she's unlikeable -- and that came from DT.

[at140]

19. Pelosi against Nobody? Pelosi wins haha

Has anyone even declared to run against Pelosi?

[JHan]

20. and right on time, here you are.

[Baconator]

38. Hello...

[JHan]

40. hi.

[sheshe2]

102. LOL!

[LanternWaste]

21. I'd prefer FDR as speaker (he qualifies as 'someone else'), but as he's not available...

I'll go with Pelosi.

[Iggo]

22. 23% yes, 36% no, and 41% don't care.

Republicans and Independents don't matter.

She's done the job and done it well. Keep her 'til she can't.

And I don't remember anyone other than the Dem House members getting a vote anyway.

I think those numbers will break way different than 23-36-41.

[brush]

111. As far as who gets a vote, the repugs submit their choice also to be voted on.,,

but since we're in the majority our candidate will win.

And it will most likely be Nancy Pelosi.

[NewJeffCT]

25. Who do Democrats want? The reincarnation of Sam Rayburn?

I can't really think of anybody in the House that would be more effective than Pelsoi and has experience. Steny Hoyer? Nah, kind of bland. Joe Crowley? was defeated in the primaries...Adam Schiff? No, he supports Pelosi.

[Chickensoup]

27. Yes we need fresh face and ideas

Plus let's not give the GOP a leg to stand on.

[Wintryjade]

29. I think we need effectiveness, smart and experience.

[Cha]

104. Elijah Cummings: Nancy has been battled tested..

Link to tweet

[Iggo]

34. Name me one fresh idea and which stale idea it would replace.

As for fresh face, fuck that.

We need experience. She's done the job and done it well. What part of that is a bad thing?

[Iggo]

46. LOL...that didn't take long.

Welcome to DU.

[LanternWaste]

48. So other than your post hoc ergo prompter hoc fallacy

...you have nothing valid or substantial at all to support your premise.

[Iggo]

52. Also, now that I've thought for a minute about all the things you listed...

...I believe that bone you have to pick is with Debbie Wasserman Schultz, not Nancy Pelosi.

[Cha]

103. Stop Worrying about the Damn gop. We

Don't need a "fresh face". Sorry you have no idea what you're talking about.

Link to tweet

Amanpour interviews Congressman-elect Tom Malinowski (D flipped seat that was R since '81)

snip//

I want to play something that maybe speaker, certainly Leader Pelosi said to me in September because a lot of people said well you know what, the Democrats don't really have a message to complete with Make America Great Again.

There's no slogan, there's no clear strategy but this is where she laid out in September.

What we're about in our campaign is that we are for the people, for lower health care costs, lowering prescription drug prices.

We're for raising pay checks, lowering healthcare costs, increasing paychecks by building the infrastructure of America and for cleaning up government to make sure people understand that the people's interest, not the special interests are served here in the United States Capitol.

So there she was laying out a strategy and one that clearly is a winning strategy

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/amanpour-and-company/video/congressman-elect-tom-malinowski/

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11406195

Link to tweet

[Wintryjade]

28. Same with HRC. Incredibly high polls in performance of SOS. Pelosi is off the charts in performance

That isn't the issue.

[David__77]

31. I go with the "no opinion" plurality, given those choices.

I don't want Steny Hoyer to take her place! I also understand that some Democrats campaigned promising not to support her leadership role. I can see benefits to having solid caucus unity behind leadership, and I also don't think that achieving that should necessarily be the most important goal.

[AlexSFCA]

32. what are the alternatives?

As far as I know, no one else is running for this position. GOP doesnt want Pelosi as a speaker cause they know she’ll accomplish a lot in two years. Do not take the bait. Pelosi is one of the most progressive memebrs of congress and represents dem party values very well.

[Iggo]

37. So far, "someone else" seems to be almost as popular as "don't care."

[Baconator]

93. That's part of my point...

The gap between Pelose (as the only real viable choice) and literally everyone else in the house is enormous.

Even assuming that she has all the connections and experience that her supporters say she does... She could get hit by a meteor or have a heart attack tomorrow and there doesn't appear to be anyone to step up at a moment's notice.

We should have a deeper bench and this is what got us in 2016.

[brush]

113. Guess you never heard of Schiff, Cummings, Sanchez, Swalwell, Waters?

We have a very deep bench. And that's not including Hoyer or Clyburn.

[Baconator]

116. Maybe... but then why the clamoring that Pelosi is the ONLY person...

... who could possibly handle this job?

Folks want to have it both ways. Pelosi is the singular source of experience, connections, fundraising and networks and thus she has to have the job while at the same time we have everyone you listed but they don't even get a look.

I'd agree with you that most of those folks could do it but there's no indication that it's even remotely possible.

[brush]

117. I'm with Pelosi. Just pushing back on the argument that no one else has been groomed...

for Speaker when the time comes.

With this huge win of 40 seats in House, aided by the nearly 50m Pelosi raised, the time has not come.

[LanternWaste]

118. Can you point us towards anyone at all alleging she's the only person who can do the job?

Or is that merely something you've imagined so as to have something to argue against?

Both ways, indeed...

[DonViejo]

33. I'd be willing to bet over half the participants in that poll don't know who Nancy Pelosi is and,..

if they do know, they are either Dems or they heard her name mentioned by Republicans, e.g., "Nancy Pelosi is the source of all our trouble!" Given that a 41% plurality of participants in the poll have no opinion, I'd venture to say the poll is meaningless.

[LiberalFighter]

60. And they don't have a clue what she does.

While those that have worked with her know what she does behind the scenes and how she interacts with her fellow legislators.

[DonViejo]

68. Yep. Right you are! And ultimately, those clueless ones could care less about what she does. eom

[Greybnk48]

35. Man oh man! This is a full court press! n/t

[octoberlib]

36. I think some Democrats have fallen for GOP messaging.

[Squinch]

79. I think some GOP are pretending to be Democrats, and some really dumb Democrats are

falling for it.

[struggle4progress]

41. "We can't have one smart tough cookie as Speaker! It would make us look out-of-touch

with the Republican party!"

[we can do it]

42. Just stop.

[LanternWaste]

50. I think you're right. This may simply be another exercise in long division.

[Iggo]

54. It absolutely is.

[Raven]

51. Pelosi should be Speaker. She's earned it, she's worked for it and she's good at it. Moulton

is a huge disappointment to me. I thought he had a future but opposing Pelosi without a credible alternative is really stupid and a waste of time that could be better spent on finding ways to dig this country out of the hole the Republicans have put it in.

[LiberalFighter]

59. We don't get to decide. And rightly so.

The polls are useless when it is the opinion of people who in most cases don't know enough about what Pelosi does.

[MacKasey]

61. I am for Pelosi

Because Republicans are against her and
They are afraid of her

We need her experience, she knows how to count the votes and she delivered for Obama the first 2 years

[Turbineguy]

65. Maybe.....

We should take an experienced speaker until the Democratic Congress gets on its feet and then take another look?

Presumably it would be helpful to trump and the republicans if we did otherwise.

[LBM20]

72. Cheri Bustros would be a good choice. We should have someone new. Time for a change.

[lpbk2713]

74. They polled 800 people.

I wouldn't call the results a scientific conclusion. Over 50 Million Dem votes were cast in 2018.

[guillaumeb]

76. It is not decided by a poll.

The House Democratic caucus actually votes, and then the entire House.

[Yonnie3]

78. I guess I'd be in the 41%

I want to let our elected Representatives pick their leaders, not the public.

[Kurt V.]

83. I'm not worried.

she'll work it out. and if i have to eat those words, so be it. tRump is still in deep shit now

[pecosbob]

85. More Republican talking points...

hasn't everyone yet learned not to accept the spin put on the world by Rs? For example, the phrase "The incoming speaker is getting protested by one of her freshman," was spoken by Paul Ryan, but repeated by tens of thousands of Dems in the last two days. Dems should stop repeating Republican talking points.

[GWC58]

86. And I have to ask "why?"

Why would we not want the finest House Speaker, maybe ever. The shame is we’ve allowed the Repukes to turn Nancy into negative FOR DEMOCRATS. Rediculous!! 😡

[Tarheel_Dem]

90. IOW, 64 percent of "Democrats" either want Pelosi or don't much care. Meanwhile, 36 percent want...

someone else. Sounds like Pelosi's a shoe-in. Go Nancy!!!!!!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

94. 72% R disapproval is good enough for me

That's a strong majority of GOPers who are scared of Nancy. Wonder why that might be?

Put Pelosi where she needs to be: in the Speaker's chair. Put the energetic newbies in committees where their enthusiasm can help get things done (especially getting a public light on GOPer deliberate damages). We don't need the freshmen getting clobbered by GOPer and M$M hounding -- Nancy can protect them while they get their DC armor on.

[Greywing]

98. +1000

[Historic NY]

112. She definitely won't be cowed by Trump

[ehrnst]

114. What's important is what her constituents think of her, and her peers in the House.

Both think she's got what it takes.