House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her run for reelection ahead of the upcoming 2022 midterm elections on Tuesday.
Pelosi called the midterm elections “crucial” to protecting American democracy and said she would be “greatly honored” for voters’ support in her reelection campaign. The California Democrat was first elected to the House in 1987 and has held her role as Speaker since January, 2019.
“This election is crucial,” she said. “Nothing less is at stake than our Democracy. But as we say: We don’t agonize, we organize! And that is why I am running for re-election to Congress and respectfully seek your support. I’d be greatly honored by it and grateful for it.”
The Speaker thanked her supporters for helping Democrats deliver on “human rights, reproductive justice, LGBTQ equality, and respect for immigrants.” She said the most important issues facing Congress are “the children.”
“Thank you for giving me the privilege to represent our city and our San Francisco values in the Congress. Human rights, reproductive justice, LGBTQ equality, respect for immigrants, and care for each other,” Pelosi said. “When people ask me ‘what are the three most important issues facing the Congress?’ I always say the same thing: Our children. Our children. Our children.”
“That is my why. Why I am in Congress-For The Children,” she continued. “This is my story. And this is my song. As you hear me say, ‘When you’re in the arena, you have to be able to take a punch or throw a punch-For The Children.”
While we have made progress much more needs to be done to improve people’s lives. This election is crucial: nothing less is at stake than our Democracy.
But we don’t agonize-we organize. I am running for re-election to Congress to deliver For The People and defend Democracy. -NP pic.twitter.com/ojwFPOdRs3
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) January 25, 2022
Pelosi cited accomplishments of fighting against HIV/AIDS and the discrimination of those infected with the diseases when she first entered Congress. She touted the passage of the Obama-era Affordable Care Act and the strengthening of Social Security and Medicare and the fight against COVID-19 “with equity.”
The Speaker referred to the climate crisis as “an ethic” in San Francisco that will be combatted through providing affordable housing, clean energy, infrastructure and transportation. She said the crisis can be solved by educating the younger generation and creating “good-paying, green, union jobs.”
In order to solve crime, Pelosi said combating crime’s “root causes” and supporting “justice in policing” is needed in order to create safe communities. (RELATED: Pelosi’s Jan. 6 Team Plots Next Move Ahead Of 2022 Midterms)
She thanked those serving “in uniform” to protect world peace and ensure “a strong Democracy at home.” She warned that democracy is at threat due to “assaults” on the truth, the Capitol and voting rights.
“Our vision for a world at peace requires a strong Democracy at home as an example to the world,” she said. “We are grateful to our men and women in uniform, veterans and military families and honor their sacrifice with our insistence on securing voting rights and end the big dark money in politics. And amplifying the voice of the grassroots.”
“While we’ve made progress, much more needs to be done to improve people’s lives. Our democracy is at risk because of assaults on the truth, the assault on the U.S. Capitol and the state-by-state assault on voting rights.”
Pelosi claimed Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson would have “tears in their eyes” at the “departure of democracy” in regards to two Democrat-led elections bills known as the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act during a Jan. 17 address news conference.
Several key House Democrats, including Reps. John Yarmuth of Kentucky and Cheri Bustos of Illinois, announced their retirements ahead of the midterm elections. Yarmuth was a major figure in crafting President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion Build Back Better plan. Bustos served as chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).