Pelosi narrowly re-elected just as US House speaker
Nancy Pelosi, the only female US Speaker of the House, was narrowly re-elected to the position Sunday in a good deeply divided new Congress that convened found in the final weeks of Donald Trump's presidency. Pelosi, 80, faced a good scare when five fellow Democrats defected and voted "present" or for another person through the floor vote. But the woman who is third in line to the presidency guaranteed her fourth - as well as perhaps final - non-consecutive term as House speaker by getting 216 votes versus 209 for Republican head Kevin McCarthy.
In a symbolic gesture, McCarthy formally handed over the gavel to Pelosi. "We begin the new Congress throughout a time of incredible difficulty," Pelosi informed the chamber, noting the toll of 350,000 dead and 20 million infected by Covid-19. "Our most urgent priority will still be defeating the coronavirus," a masked Pelosi explained. "And defeat it, we will." Trump was impeached in December 2019, however, the Senate acquitted him early in 2020. His successor, Joe Biden, takes the workplace on January 20.
There are usually 435 seats in the House, but only 427 votes were cast Sunday just as a few congressmen-elect are in quarantine due to Covid-19 and a good House race in NY has however to be formally decided. One congressman-elect from Louisiana, Luke Letlow, died of issues from Covid-19 the other day, days before he was because of being sworn found in. That leaves Democrats with among the slimmest House majorities in recent years, 222 to 211 with two vacancies.
