In summary
She’s leaving Congress after 39 years, but Nancy Pelosi proved she can still command a room full of California Democrats like no one else.
Her name won’t appear on any California ballot this year, but House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi was the star of the state Democratic Party’s weekend convention in San Francisco.
The 85-year-old received perhaps the biggest organic applause of the weekend Saturday morning when she took the convention floor in her signature stilettos. That night, a who’s-who of California Democrats honored her at a farewell dinner, calling her fearless, loyal and a forever fighter who has gone toe-to-toe with world leaders.
“You talk about an Iron Lady — Margaret Thatcher’s got nothing on Nancy Pelosi,” said U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, recalling how she showed up to his event in 2024 just a week after breaking her hip in Luxembourg.
Pelosi announced earlier this year that she won’t seek reelection to her San Francisco seat, 39 years after her first election to Congress. But she rallied delegates throughout the weekend to fight for Democrats to take back the House in this fall’s closely contested midterm elections, repeatedly offering her mantra: “We don’t agonize, we organize. We unionize.”
Dubbed the party’s “forever speaker,” Pelosi’s image appeared on each of the 3,500 tote bags given to delegates, a rainbow of Pelosis from various eras in her trademark pantsuits and heels. As the nation’s first female speaker, Pelosi was a role model for generations of women and as speaker was known as an enforcer, a title Schiff said was well-deserved.
Delegates celebrated her legislative accomplishments, including passage of the Affordable Care Act and President Joe Biden’s infrastructure and climate agenda, along with her steadfast support for women, LGBTQ rights and the environment. Many credited her political prowess for helping pass Proposition 50 last year, which redrew California’s congressional maps to favor Democrats. She was also a crucial voice in persuading Biden to drop out of the presidential race in 2024.
When she again took the stage Saturday night in a more intimate setting, Pelosi ripped up her prepared speech — a throwback to when she famously tore up a copy of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on live television. She thanked her friends and allies, saying she was proud to represent San Francisco’s values to the nation — a move that has made her a favorite punching bag of conservatives.
“Right now, we have a challenge of conscience in our country,” Pelosi said Saturday night, gesturing to her bracelets reading ‘faith,’ ‘hope,’ ‘love’ and ‘believe.’ “And I truly do believe in the goodness of the American people.”
