In a week marked by political controversy and financial intrigue, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has found herself at the center of two major stories—one involving her lucrative investment in a soaring artificial intelligence stock, the other her response to a scandal engulfing a fellow Democrat in Virginia. Both events shed light on the intersection of politics, personal finance, and the heated rhetoric that continues to shape American elections.
Earlier this year, Pelosi disclosed a significant investment in Tempus AI, a healthcare-focused artificial intelligence firm listed on NASDAQ under the symbol TEM. According to Benzinga, Pelosi purchased 50 call options set to expire on January 16, 2026, with a strike price of $20. At the time of the transaction, the options were valued between $50,000 and $100,000. Fast forward to October 8, 2025, and those same options are now worth $415,000—a staggering gain of over 200% in less than a year. While it remains unclear exactly how much her husband, Paul Pelosi, paid for the options, the profit is undeniable. Investors who mirrored Pelosi’s move would be sitting on similarly impressive gains, with Tempus AI shares having climbed between 194.3% and 221.8% since January 14, when the stock traded between $31.66 and $34.62.
Pelosi is not the only member of Congress to have shown confidence in Tempus AI. Congressman Robert Bresnahan, a Republican from Pennsylvania, disclosed purchasing between $1,000 and $15,000 worth of Tempus AI shares on May 9, 2025. At that time, the stock was trading between $60.50 and $66.30. Since his investment, shares have surged by 53.7% to 68.4%. Such moves have fueled ongoing speculation about whether lawmakers possess an insider’s edge when it comes to picking market winners, especially in the high-stakes world of artificial intelligence.
Tempus AI’s meteoric rise is not limited to congressional portfolios. The company enjoys a prominent place in the holdings of Ark Funds, the investment firm led by Cathie Wood. Tempus AI is the largest holding in the Ark Genomic Revolution ETF, accounting for 11.3% of its assets, and it ranks as the fifth largest holding in the Ark Innovation ETF at 5.3%. In April, Ark Research Analyst Nemo Marjanovic highlighted Tempus AI’s partnership with pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca and Pathos AI as a pivotal development. "This deal signals an important shift as pharma companies advance from adopting AI models to building them," Marjanovic wrote in a weekly Ark email, adding, "In our view, every pharma/biotech giant will have to train and finetune their own models to address their respective pipelines and strategies." Marjanovic’s assessment was clear: "The arms race for AI dominance in healthcare has begun."
The company’s financial performance appears to back up the hype. In August 2025, Tempus AI reported second-quarter revenue of $314.64 million, an 89.6% increase year-over-year. Its Genomics segment showed particularly robust growth, with revenue up 115.3% compared to the previous year. Other segments, including oncology testing, hereditary testing, and data and services, also posted strong gains, rising 32.9%, 33.6%, and 35.7% respectively. Founder and CEO Eric Lefkofsky was upbeat, stating, "The business is performing well with revenues and margins growing faster than expected, contributing to our continued improvement in adjusted EBITDA on a year-over-year basis." The company subsequently raised its full-year revenue guidance to $1.26 billion, which would represent an 82% increase from the previous year.
Tempus AI’s stock has reflected this optimism, hitting a new all-time high of $102.49 on October 8, 2025. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has traded between $31.36 and $102.49, marking a year-to-date gain of 197.5%. The company’s rapid ascent has not only enriched investors but also fueled debate about the role of Congress in the markets and the transparency of lawmakers' financial dealings.
While Pelosi’s investment acumen has drawn attention, her political judgment was also on display this week as she addressed a controversy involving Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones. On Wednesday, October 8, Pelosi was asked by CNN’s Dana Bash about leaked 2022 text messages from Jones, in which he expressed violent thoughts about then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. In the messages, Jones compared Gilbert to infamous dictators and wrote, "Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head." When pressed on whether Jones should withdraw from the race, Pelosi demurred, saying, "I really don’t get involved in other people’s races. It’s up to the people in that state. I respect their judgment and wish them well."
Jones has since apologized for his remarks, calling them "embarrassing and shameful," and has reportedly reached out personally to Gilbert and his family. The fallout from the leaked messages has cast a shadow over Virginia’s upcoming November election, where Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, a Republican, is facing off against former Representative Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, for the governorship. Republican AG candidate Jason Miyares and others have labeled Jones’s conduct disqualifying, but Pelosi declined to take a definitive stance. "Well, that’s up to the people, the leaders in Virginia—they have said he has apologized. What I understand is, they say that on balance, he’s the better person to be attorney general. But that’s up to them," she told CNN.
The issue of violent language in politics hit close to home for Pelosi, whose husband Paul was the victim of a brutal hammer attack in 2022. Reflecting on her own experience, Pelosi lamented, "We have to get rid of that kind of language. It’s not appropriate," and expressed frustration that threats against her have not always been met with the same level of concern. When asked if Spanberger should call for Jones to step aside, Pelosi again deferred, saying, "Well, she has to do what she has to do. She’s going to be governor. She’s running very well, everybody’s very proud of her candidacy. And her race is her race, and her state is her state, and it’s up to her."
Pelosi’s reluctance to wade into the Virginia race comes in stark contrast to her prominent role in national politics, including her efforts to pressure President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 White House race. As the debate over political rhetoric and accountability continues, Pelosi’s words and actions remain closely watched by both supporters and critics.
Whether on the trading floor or the campaign trail, Pelosi’s choices reflect the complex—and often controversial—interplay between personal interests and public responsibility at the highest levels of American government.
