Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday that she will retire from Congress, ending speculation that one of the most powerful women in American politics would seek another term.
A historic career nears its end
The early-morning announcement on social media from the Speaker Emerita comes after Californians voted to redraw the state’s congressional maps — a move that could add as many as five Democratic-held seats to Congress to counter Texas Republicans’ move to redraw their own maps at Trump’s request.
Pelosi’s departure will cap a storied political career spanning nearly four decades. Her current term ends in January 2027, but her decision not to run in 2026 opens the door for new Democratic voices to seek her San Francisco House seat.
New candidates step forward
Among those entering the race are state Sen. Scott Wiener and Saikat Chakrabarti, a former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York).
Pelosi, 85, was first elected to the House in 1987 and made history as the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House — a role she held twice during her 38 years in Congress.
Legacy of leadership
Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the leader of House Democrats and possibly the next Speaker of the House, greets backers at a Democratic election watch party at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on November 7, 2006. …
A mother of five and a wife, Pelosi became one of the nation’s most consequential legislative leaders, steering the House through wars, economic crisis, a pandemic, and an attack on democracy.
She began her political career as a volunteer for the Democratic Party, rising through the ranks to serve as a state representative to the Democratic National Committee and later as chair of the California Democratic Party’s Northern Division.
Known as a prolific fundraiser, Pelosi chaired the host committee for the 1984 Democratic National Convention at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.
In 1987, she won her first and last competitive race for the House. She won a special election to represent California’s then-5th District, which included San Francisco.
A force in Washington
Rep. Nancy Pelosi speaks with staff on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. in January 2003. Pelosi became the first woman to lead any of the four congressional caucuses in January 2003 when she was elected as House minority leader. (Photo by Melina Mara …
Pelosi shattered glass ceilings for women in Washington, becoming House minority whip in 2001 and elected as Democratic leader in 2002 — both firsts for a woman.
In 2006, she helped Democrats reclaim the House majority for the first time since 1993, paving the way for her historic swearing-in as Speaker of the House on Jan. 4, 2007.
During her first term with the gavel, Pelosi worked alongside President Barack Obama to pass the Affordable Care Act, one of her defining legislative achievements. She also helped usher in the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" in 2010, ending the ban on openly gay and lesbian service members.
When Republicans regained control of the House that year, Pelosi was re-elected as minority leader — a position she used to continue shaping the party’s direction.
In 2019, she reclaimed the gavel after Democrats retook the House — becoming the first person in more than 60 years to do so.
Pelosi was on the front line of Democrats' battle with President Donald Trump, overseeing his impeachments in 2019 and 2021.
Her tense relationship with Trump culminated in the viral moment when she tore up his State of the Union speech in 2020.
Under President Joe Biden, Pelosi helped shepherd major legislation through the House, including the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and Biden’s sweeping climate and social spending bill.
Beyond domestic policy, Pelosi was a vocal advocate for voting rights and gun control. Internationally, she championed human rights, especially in China, and made history in 2022 when she became the first U.S. House speaker in 25 years to visit Taiwan, despite warnings.
Pelosis targeted
Aerial footage of the Pelosi home in Pacific Heights shows a window was broken and police combing through the property. Oct. 28, 2022
Pelosi’s office in Washington was targeted during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. And in the aftermath, she urged lawmakers back to certify Biden’s victory and later created the House select committee to investigate the attack.
In October 2022, her husband, Paul Pelosi, was violently attacked in their San Francisco home while she was in Washington. The attack was politically motivated.
Weeks after the assault, Pelosi announced she would step down from House leadership, marking the end of her historic 19-year run as Democratic leader.
Across the political spectrum, Pelosi was seen as a master strategist — one whose sharp discipline and signature icy stare came to define her leadership style: respected, unrelenting, and rarely ignored, even by members of her own party.