OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has some news that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi does not want to hear.
And he did not deliver the news in a public forum, but rather in a private meeting with Democrat donors where he declared she is “in trouble,” Fox News reported.
Schumer and six other Democratic senators were spotted dining at Trattoria Alberto, a swanky Italian restaurant in Washington, on Monday evening, and the group was talking loud enough to be heard by other patrons, according to Punchbowl News. Schumer reportedly expressed confidence that Democrats would keep the Senate come November but said Republicans had a 60% chance of taking the House.
The other Democratic senators at the gathering included Chris Coons of Delaware, Mark Kelly of Arizona, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Tom Carper of Delaware, John Hickenlooper of Colorado, and Dick Durbin of Illinois.
Schumer also weighed in on a series of other topics, arguing that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy “sucked up” to former President Donald Trump. He also stated his belief that Trump will run for president again in 2024.
The news comes weeks after reports that Speaker Pelosi has a new job in mind if Democrats are defeated and Republicans gain control of the House.
Sources have said that the Speaker wants President Joe Biden to appoint her the ambassador to Italy if Republicans win in the midterms and she is not Speaker anymore, Fox News reported.
Biden is holding the spot for the speaker, sources say, which is one reason he has yet to fill the position since taking office. Speculation earlier this year that a Pelosi ally and former Wall Street executive wanted the job has shifted with the increasing likelihood that the GOP takes the majority.
There was no clarity yet on how a new Senate will react to a Pelosi nomination, but there was a mixed reaction to her in the role from sources this week.
So far, 101 Biden ambassador nominees have been confirmed by the Senate, but Biden has been slow to name ambassadors to several countries, including Italy.
About a quarter (27%) of the 194 ambassador positions are currently without a Senate-confirmed official.
But Drew Hammill, the spokesman for the Speaker, said that the report is not true, The Daily Mail reported.
“The Speaker has no interest in this position and has not discussed it with anyone in the White House,” he said.
“This is the second time Maria Bartiromo has proceeded with reporting anonymous rumors about the Speaker’s future that have no merit,” he said.
“And the second time she has failed to ask us for comment before airing or publishing this utter nonsense,” he said.
Rumors continue to swirl that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is “expected” to retire or “step back” after November’s midterm elections.
A new report reveals that California Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff is positioning himself as heir to Pelosi’s speakership if she chooses to retire after Republicans likely win back the House. Pelosi, for her part, has announced that she will seek re-election in November.
The Washington Post reports that Schiff’s efforts have “focused on consolidating support among his home base” in California, but that he “has not made an explicit ask for endorsements.”
Instead, the Post says Schiff “is gauging members’ interest and planting the seed that leading the caucus is his goal.”
The outlet adds that Schiff has reached out to progressive and minority-led congressional groups but that the response to some of that outreach has been “tepid.”
Other Democrats reportedly gunning to lead the House Democratic Caucus if Pelosi steps back include Democrat Reps. Steny Hoyer, James Clyburn, and Hakeem Jeffries.
These rumors have become so loud that apparently Democrats already have several successors in mind to potentially replace Pelosi.
“I think we want leadership that bridges some of the different ideological wings of the party, that is committed to listening to all of the perspectives, that will be capable of helping move the Senate or things that have stalled in the House. But whoever it is, I hope they would adopt progressive positions and also listen to the broad caucus and build consensus,” California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna told the Post.
“I think there was a ‘holding of power’ model that worked very well for a long time, and I think now it is more about a recognition of different centers of focus within the Democratic caucus that have to be brought in and brought together. It takes some acceptance of more-decentralized leadership,” Washington Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal said.
