(USNewsMag.com) – Although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) won’t confirm or deny her plans to retire in 2022 from her long political career, rumors continue to swirl around the Capitol.
On December 8, the legislator’s press assistant, Riley Lopez, announced he’s moving to another position in the Senate. His action marks the second person within days distancing themselves from the House speaker. Pelosi’s former deputy communications director, Robyn Patterson, departed to join the Commerce Department. Some politicians believe the moves signal the California legislator’s plan to give up her seat.
Two staffers have abandoned @SpeakerPelosi in just one week, a pattern that indicates Pelosi may retire after the 2022 midterms. https://t.co/jwtYCGiHBG
— Wendell Husebø (@WendellHusebo) December 8, 2021
National Republican Congressional Committee Deputy Communications Director Mike Berg suggested the speaker is on retirement watch. In August, Atlantic magazine predicted Pelosi would announce her departure. Plus, the legislator previously said this term would be her final time as Speaker. She also dodged the retirement question during an interview on CNN in October by saying she needed to discuss it with her family first.
Experts agree if she plans to leave her position, it’ll mark the end of an era. There’s no definite word yet on who would replace Pelosi in the event this year is her last, but some suspect House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is a possibility. In the meantime, political experts will watch closely for signs of her decision.
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