There could be a race-within-a-race brewing among the House Democrats, coinciding with Tuesday's midterm elections, if the Republican Party wins back the chamber majority.
Amid the Newsmax report of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., potentially stepping down after the midterms, speculation has already begun as to which House Democrat would succeed Pelosi — albeit as the presumed House minority leader.
According to Politico, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., have already expressed interest in assuming Pelosi's leadership role, in the event of her retiring from politics.
Politico also reports that, over the summer, Jeffries arranged an impromptu meeting with House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., after learning of Schiff's possible long-term plans.
"There's nothing I would ever do to impede the progress of our up-and-coming young Democrats, and I see him as an up-and-coming young Democrat," Clyburn told Politico about Jeffries. "He knows that. I didn't have to tell him that — but I did."
Citing various media reports, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. and Clyburn would also be top considerations to succeed Pelosi.
However, given Clyburn's quote to Politico, it stands to reason that he might favor Jeffries becoming the first-ever black lawmaker to assume the No. 1 position among House Democrats.
The Washington Examiner suggests Clyburn's support "would all but ensure" Jeffries being placed on the path to replace Pelosi, 82, who took over for former Rep. Dick Gephardt, D-Mo. in 2003.
Over the last 19-plus years, Pelosi has reportedly raised more than $1.25 billion for Democratic Party candidates; and according to party officials, Pelosi helped raise approximately $42.7 million for the third quarter of 2022.
As Newsmax chronicled earlier Friday, one Democrat operative says that following Pelosi's leadership legacy could have its challenges.
"Nancy Pelosi is so well-respected and so well-appreciated that no one is looking forward to seeing her leave, and the last thing anybody wants is to be viewed as making even the littlest insult to the speaker," said Todd David, formerly the political director for California state Sen. Scott Wiener, a potential candidate to succeed Pelosi on a national scale.
"From a pure practical, political point of view, no one wants to offend Nancy Pelosi," added David.
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