First Female US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Retire

• Nancy Pelosi announced that she would not run for re-election
• She was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Pelosi, aged 85, has been a pathfinder in governmental practice and a master political strategist

Nancy Pelosi assumed the role of Speaker of the House of Representatives as the first female Speaker in the history of the United States and became one of the most prominent figures in American politics.

But, she has now disclosed to the public that she will depart from Congress at the end of her current term in January 2027.

"I have a full heart as I look forward to my last year as your proud representative to Congress in this term that ends January 2027," the 85-year-old Democrat said in a video message to her San Francisco constituents.

The Democrat from San Francisco has served her district for 38 years and is now serving her 19th term in Congress.

In the course of a long and trailblazing career, she was the first woman to lead a major political party in Congress—serving for 8 years as House Speaker, which is the second most powerful, after the vice president, in the state after the presidency.

Her measured leadership style and political astuteness have ensured landmark legislations pass in Congress, such as the Affordable Care Act during the presidency of Barack Obama and infrastructure spending initiatives during Joe Biden's presidency.

Nancy also became capable of being in the news during the presidency of Donald Trump when she led the House in impeaching Trump.

She is the daughter of Italian immigrants from Baltimore and was immersed in politics through her father, Thomas D’Alesandro, who served as mayor and congressman.

She participated in her first Democratic National Convention while still a child and became more politically involved in San Francisco after she had had her five children before being elected to Congress at the age of 47.

Her supporters have called her one of the most capable speakers in American history and cite her strategic thinking, persistence, and ability to get her party on the same page.

She has also sparked division. On the right, she has frequently been labeled as the picture of liberal elitism and her notoriety has often placed her at the forefront of political vitriol, including the attack on her husband in 2022, and threats made to her life during the Capitol assault in January 2022.

Despite this polarization, Nancy has led significant policy initiatives throughout her career, including meaningful economic recovery packages in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

In reflecting on her tenure, she stated that “no matter what title they have conferred upon me — Speaker, Leader, Whip — there has been no greater honor for me than to stand on the floor of the House and say, I speak for the people of San Francisco.”