15 Democrats defect on speaker vote and oppose Nancy Pelosi
Today California Rep. Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker of The House. But who are the 15 Democrats that voted against her?
While Nancy Pelosi reclaimed the speaker’s gavel Thursday, more than a dozen Democrats defected and chose not to support her.
Pelosi, the 78-year-old congresswoman from California, made history when she was first elected House speaker in 2007 as the first woman to serve in the role. While she isn’t the first to regain the speaker’s job, the last time a lawmaker reclaimed the gavel was more than a half-century ago.
Pelosi needed an “absolute majority” of votes cast from the House floor to regain her old job on Thursday. With 220 votes out of 430, she easily beat Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy.
But 15 Democrats – many of them newly elected lawmakers – didn’t cast a vote for Pelosi, with 12 of those lawmakers voting for someone other than her. While most cast votes for fellow House Democrats or voted “present,” a former vice president and failed gubernatorial nominee also received support.
Here’s who defected from Pelosi and whom those lawmakers voted for:
Rep. Anthony Brindisi of New York, a new member, voted for former Vice President Joe Biden.
Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee voted present.
Rep. Jason Crow, a new member, of Colorado voted for Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
Rep. Joe Cunningham of South Carolina, a new member, voted for Rep. Cheri Bustos of Illinois.
Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, a new member, voted for Rep. Cheri Bustos of Illinois.
Rep. Ron Kind of Wisconsin voted for Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.
Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania voted for Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Mass.
Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah, a new member, voted for Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy.
Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York voted for Stacey Abrams, the former Georgia gubernatorial nominee.
Rep. Max Rose of New York, a new member, voted for Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon voted for Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge.
Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, a new member, voted for Rep. Cheri Bustos of Illinois.
Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a new member, voted present.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, a new member, voted for Rep. Cheri Bustos of Illinois.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, a new member, voted present.
Some Republicans defected during the vote as well. Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Jody Hice of Georgia picked Ohio Republican Jim Jordan over California Rep. McCarthy. Michigan Rep. Justin Amash voted for Massie.
Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
More from Politics
