It’s the end of an era in American politics. On November 6, 2025, Nancy Pelosi—one of the most powerful and polarizing figures in recent U.S. history—announced she would not seek reelection in 2026, capping off a storied congressional career that spanned nearly four decades. The news sent shockwaves through Washington and her home district of San Francisco, sparking both celebration and criticism, and setting the stage for a fierce battle over her soon-to-be-vacant seat.
Pelosi’s announcement came in a video message delivered to her constituents. “I say to my colleagues in the House all the time, no matter what title they have bestowed upon me, speaker, leader, whip, there has been no greater honor for me than to stand on the House floor and say, I speak for the people of San Francisco. I have truly loved serving as your voice,” Pelosi said, as reported by California Politics 360.
Her decision, though not entirely unexpected given her age—she’s now 85—and her recent step back from party leadership, marks the close of a chapter defined by both trailblazing accomplishments and relentless partisan warfare. Pelosi was the first woman elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the first woman to lead a major political party in either chamber, and a force behind landmark legislation like the Affordable Care Act. According to KCRA 3, she raised an estimated $1.25 billion for the Democratic Party while in leadership roles, and in 2024, President Joe Biden honored her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her distinguished public service.
But her legacy is far from universally celebrated. President Donald Trump, who has long clashed with Pelosi, wasted no time responding to her retirement. During a November 6 Oval Office news conference, Trump told reporters, “I’m glad she’s retiring. I think she did the country a great service by retiring. I think she was a tremendous liability for the country. I thought she was an evil woman who did a poor job, who cost the country a lot in damages and in reputation. I thought she was terrible.” Trump’s comments, covered by multiple outlets including CNN and California Politics 360, reflect the deep animosity that defined their relationship. Pelosi presided over both of Trump’s impeachments—first in 2019 over abuse of power allegations, then in 2021 after the January 6 Capitol riot. Their public spats were legendary, perhaps most memorably when Pelosi tore up Trump’s State of the Union speech on live television in 2020.
Pelosi, for her part, has given as good as she’s gotten. In a recent CNN interview, she called Trump a “vile creature,” adding, “The worst thing on the face of the Earth, but anyway.” When pressed to explain, Pelosi argued that Trump “does not honor the Constitution.” As the 2024 campaign season heated up, Trump continued to target Pelosi at rallies, labeling her “crooked,” “evil,” and “sick.”
Yet beyond the headlines and sound bites, Pelosi’s impact on American politics is undeniable. Born in 1940 into a political family—her father served in Congress—Pelosi entered the House in 1987, handpicked to run for San Francisco’s seat by the late Sala Burton. At the time, only 23 of the 435 representatives were women. “When I first came to the floor at 6 years old, never would I have thought that someday I would go from homemaker to House Speaker,” she once reflected. By 2001, she’d become the first woman House minority whip; two years later, the first female House Democratic leader; and in 2007, the first and only woman so far to serve as Speaker. As California Politics 360 noted, she held the Speaker’s gavel during the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.
Pelosi’s influence extended well beyond legislative victories. State Senator Scott Wiener, a Democrat vying to succeed her, shared on California Politics 360 that Pelosi’s advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and her early commitment to fighting AIDS made a profound impact on him and others. “She inspired me as a gay man, because she was the one who went onto the floor of the House of Representatives on the day she was sworn in in 1987, and said, I have come here to Congress to fight AIDS. There weren’t that many leaders in the country saying things like that in 1987,” Wiener recounted. He credited Pelosi’s “spine of steel,” her ability to build coalitions, and her unwavering commitment to core values as key to her effectiveness.
Pelosi’s retirement comes at a moment of major transition for California politics. On November 5, voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 50, which will reshape the state’s congressional districts for the next three elections. The measure, as explained on California Politics 360, means a new generation of leaders will compete in newly drawn districts—a shake-up that’s already causing headaches and opportunities for incumbents and challengers alike.
Republican Representative Kevin Kiley, whose district was split into six parts by Prop 50, described the situation as “really agonizing.” “I never thought I’d be in this position where there’s no way I can continue to represent all or even most of my current constituents,” Kiley said. He criticized the partisan nature of redistricting and is advocating for federal legislation to bar mid-decade gerrymandering in all 50 states. “We shouldn’t be drawing lines in a partisan way regardless of which party stands to benefit,” he told California Politics 360.
The contest to succeed Pelosi is already heating up. Wiener, who played a role in advancing Prop 50, is among the top contenders. He emphasized that the new maps could lead to a larger Democratic delegation from California, reflecting what he sees as the state’s progressive values. Wiener dismissed accusations that Prop 50 was designed for personal gain, calling such claims “absurd” and “conspiracy brain in the extreme.”
Election security remains a hot topic, too. The recent special election in California saw federal monitors dispatched to several counties at the request of the state’s Republican Party. California Attorney General Rob Bonta told California Politics 360 that, with state observers present, the process was “uneventful for the most part.” Bonta warned, however, of potential interference in future elections, citing Trump’s history of challenging vote counts and promoting conspiracy theories. “California’s elections are safe, secure, they’re reliable, they’re accurate. And for him to promote a conspiracy theory, a lie, using the bully pulpit that he had, is very dangerous and it could be a harbinger, an indicator of what might come,” Bonta said.
As Pelosi prepares to exit the national stage, her legacy remains fiercely debated. To some, she’s a trailblazer who shattered glass ceilings and delivered major policy wins. To others, she’s a symbol of partisan excess and establishment power. But for all sides, her departure marks a turning point—not just for San Francisco or the Democratic Party, but for Congress itself. The coming months will reveal who steps into her shoes and how the new political landscape takes shape.
With the aftershocks of Prop 50 still rippling and the 2026 elections looming, California—and the nation—are bracing for a new era, one in which Nancy Pelosi’s influence will be felt long after she leaves the House floor.
