Nancy Pelosi’s trailblazing journey in American politics is nearing its conclusion.
The former Speaker of the House — still the only woman ever to hold that position — announced on Thursday, Nov. 6, that she will not seek reelection in her San Francisco district in 2026. The decision marks the end of a 40-year congressional career defined by both historic firsts and legislative milestones.
In a nearly six-minute video message framed as a love letter to her hometown, Pelosi reflected on decades of service while encouraging San Franciscans to remember that there is “always much more work to be done.”
Pelosi has served 20 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, leading as Speaker from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. When Republicans regained control of the chamber following the 2022 midterms, she stepped down as Democratic leader, making way for New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries to take the helm.
Pelosi’s political career began within the Democratic National Committee, where she represented California and served in several leadership roles. In 1988, she won a special election to succeed the late Congressman Phillip Burton and, briefly, his widow Sala Burton. From that point on, Pelosi represented essentially the same San Francisco district throughout her career, taking office during the city’s devastating AIDS epidemic.
Determined to confront the crisis head-on, she hired Stephen Morin — a gay man — to lead AIDS policy in her office and used her first House floor speech to pledge a fight against “the crisis of AIDS.”
In a 2023 interview with Politico, Pelosi recalled the anguish of those early years, when she attended “three funerals a week.” Her efforts would later contribute to landmark achievements such as co-authoring the Ryan White CARE Act, securing federal funding for HIV/AIDS treatment, and helping have the AIDS Memorial Quilt recognized as a national treasure.
Over the decades, Pelosi also played a key role in shaping major legislation, including the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, the Affordable Care Act, and the CARES Act.
Her election as Speaker in 2007 permanently changed the face of congressional leadership — she was the first woman, the first Californian, and the first Italian American to hold the gavel.
“This is a historic moment — for the Congress, and for the women of this country,” Pelosi declared after her election. “For our daughters and our granddaughters, we have broken the marble ceiling. The sky is the limit — anything is possible for them.”
Pelosi’s leadership also made her a lightning rod for political conflict. She famously clashed with President Donald Trump, most memorably tearing up her copy of his State of the Union address in 2020 after leading two impeachment proceedings against him.
Her tenure was not without personal cost. During the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, her office was targeted by rioters. In October 2022, her husband, Paul Pelosi, was violently assaulted in their San Francisco home by a man demanding to know her whereabouts.
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On Nov. 17, 2022, Pelosi stepped down as House Democratic leader, one day after Republicans regained the majority. On the House floor, she described herself as “a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a devout Catholic, and a proud Democrat,” reflecting on her unexpected rise to power.
“Never would I have thought I’d go from homemaker to House Speaker,” she said. “My parents taught us that public service is a noble calling and that we all have a responsibility to help others.”
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Pelosi has consistently deflected personal credit, telling ABC’s This Week: “It’s easy for me coming from the beautiful place that I do, San Francisco. It’s their courage that made so much of this possible.”
“I’m so glad we dispelled the notion that Democrats could not win,” she added. “We’re on a path to a brighter future for America — and I’m very proud of our members, our candidates, their courage, their purpose, and their success.”
