President Biden urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to stay in office even as Republicans appear poised to take her position as speaker Tuesday.
Biden called Pelosi after midterm election results started coming in to request that she stay on for his final two years in office. Pelosi has rebuffed questions about her political future, but the 82-year-old is rumored to be considering retirement.
“I hope you stick,” Biden is said to have told her in a phone call. “I know it’s family first, but I hope you stick.”
While Democrats performed far better than expected in the midterm elections, Republicans still appear to be taking control of the House.
(L-R) U.S. President Joe Biden, CEO of SparkCharge Joshua Aviv and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) arrive for a signing ceremony for the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 on the South Lawn of the White House on Aug. 9, 2022 in Washington, D.C.
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“The Speaker has not made a decision about her future. As the Speaker just stated yesterday on national TV, she will make a decision once all the votes have been counted,” said Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill. “She’s not even thinking about her future at this moment.”
“The speaker will make an announcement when she makes an announcement,” Hammill told Fox News Digital. “Until then, let’s all enjoy watching Kevin McCarthy lose a speakership his party hasn’t even won in the first place.”
Nancy Pelosi leaves her home via the garage on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022.
(Rafael Fontoura for Fox News Digital)
Questions about Pelosi’s future come just weeks after her husband suffered an assault in an apparent break-in at the couple’s California home. David DePape, 42, is facing numerous charges after he allegedly struck Paul Pelosi in the head with a hammer.
Court documents allege DePape intended to take Nancy Pelosi hostage because he was “sick of the insane f—ing level of lies coming out of Washington, D.C.”
The San Francisco home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi is seen after police say David DePape violently assaulted Paul Pelosi early Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.
(KGO-TV)
Pelosi confirmed just prior to Election Day that the attack on her husband would impact her decision on whether to retire.
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
