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After nearly four decades in Congress, Nancy Pelosi, one of
the most influential and longest-serving figures in American politics, will not
seek reelection in 2026, several Democratic officials told NBC News on Monday.
Reporter Scott Wong, who broke the story, said that senior
advisors and Democratic lawmakers in both California and Washington consider it
virtually certain that Pelosi will retire from political life at the end of her
current term. “I think she’s preparing to retire,” one of the House Democratic
leadership advisors reportedly said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
If confirmed, Pelosi's retirement would mark the end of an
era for the Democratic Party, as the former Speaker of the House—the first
woman to hold that office in U.S. history—has been a central figure in the
party's legislative strategy for decades, shaping key policies from the Bush
era to the Biden administration.
Pelosi, who has represented California's 11th district,
based in San Francisco, since 1987, has not yet made any official statements
about her future plans. However, sources close to her say that in recent months
she has shown a growing interest in consolidating her political legacy and
supporting the transition to a new generation of Democratic leadership.
Pelosi's potential departure opens an intense internal
debate within the Democratic Party about who will take over in the influential
California stronghold and how her departure could redefine the balance of power
and experience within the House caucus.