Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is reportedly preparing to retire from Congress at the end of her current term, marking the end of nearly four decades in office and two historic stints as Speaker of the House.
According to an NBC News report, multiple Democratic Party sources say Pelosi, 85, plans to announce her retirement after Tuesday’s elections.
The news has left Democrats bracing for a major shift in leadership.
“She’s going to go out with Prop 50 overwhelmingly passing, and what a crowning achievement for her to do that,” one unnamed California House Democrat told NBC News.
The report says Pelosi is expected to “make an announcement” about her political future following Election Day, though her office declined to confirm whether she will seek reelection in 2026.
Pelosi’s potential exit would bring to a close nearly 40 years of representing San Francisco’s 11th Congressional District, during which she became the most powerful Democrat in the House and a central figure in party politics since the late 1980s.
Signs Pelosi Is Preparing to Step Aside
Speculation about Pelosi’s retirement has intensified in recent weeks.
Despite holding a multimillion-dollar campaign war chest, she has not discouraged Democrat challengers from entering the race.
Pelosi’s primary challengers include far-left state Sen. Scott Wiener and ultra-leftist former tech executive Saikat Chakrabarti, who once served as chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
Colleagues say Pelosi has dropped hints about stepping aside, joking that she hopes to see Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) sworn in as the first black House speaker “if she’s still allowed on the floor.”
Pelosi’s spokesperson, Ian Krager, declined to discuss her future plans but said she remains focused on the party’s efforts to pass Proposition 50, a controversial redistricting measure Democrats see as crucial to retaking the House majority.
“Speaker Pelosi is fully focused on her mission to win the Yes on 50 special election in California on Tuesday,” Krager said.
“She urges all Californians to join in that mission on the path to taking back the House for the Democrats.”
“Prop 50” Push Draws Controversy
“Yes on 50” refers to Democrats’ campaign urging California voters to allow the state legislature to sideline its independent redistricting commission and redraw congressional maps favoring Democrats in 2026.
The effort is being funded by George Soros and led by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), a close Pelosi ally and potential 2028 presidential contender.
Newsom launched the initiative in response to Texas Republicans’ newly adopted map, which gives the GOP an advantage in next year’s midterms.
Pelosi told the San Francisco Examiner that her focus is squarely on passing the measure, calling it “the best antidote to poison,” apparently referring to Republican redistricting efforts in states such as Texas.
The End of an Era
Pelosi’s expected retirement would mark the end of one of the longest and most consequential congressional careers in modern U.S. history.
She first entered Congress in 1987 after winning a special election to succeed the late Rep. Sala Burton (D-CA).
Pelosi went on to make history as the first female Speaker of the House, serving from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023.
While Pelosi has yet to make her announcement official, Democrats are already preparing for a post-Pelosi era.
The new era is one that could reshape the party’s leadership in both California and Washington.
READ MORE – Pelosi Defends Virginia Democrat Who Wished Death on Republicans: ‘He Has Apologized’
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