Nancy Pelosi Announces the End to Her Trailblazing, History-Making 38-Year Political Career

Nancy Pelosi, a political giant who served as the first and so far only female Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, announced on Thursday that she will not be seeking re-election to Congress at the end of her term in January 2027.

Pelosi’s 38-year congressional career rendered her a trailblazer for women across the country and the political spectrum. She redefined the terrain of political voice and authority, challenging entrenched norms about who shapes Washington’s agenda.

Born and raised in Baltimore, Pelosi, 85, graduated from Trinity College (now Trinity Washington University)  in Washington, DC, in 1962. She lived first in New York City and then settled in San Francisco with her husband, Paul. Shortly thereafter, she entered politics—initially as a volunteer for the Democratic Party, following in the footsteps of her father Thomas D’Allesandro Jr. He served in the House of Representatives from 1939 to 1947 before a 12-year stint as Mayor of Baltimore.

Pelosi was elected to Congress in 1987, and named House minority whip in 2001. A year later, she became House minority leader. After the 2006 midterm elections, she became the 52nd Speaker of the House and the first woman ever to hold the office. Indeed, until 2021 when Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice President, Pelosi was the highest-ranking woman in the presidential line of succession in the history of the country.

She lost the speakership after the 2010 midterms but was re-elected  in 2018, when Democrats once again secured majority control, a feat that underscored her enduring influence within the party as well as  her reputation as one of its most effective—and polarizing—tacticians, able to marshal votes on major legislation even amid the nation’s growing ideological divide.

During her political career, Pelosi has been a consistent champion of policies that support families and health care. She was instrumental in the passage of the landmark Affordable Care Act, which has guaranteed protections for those with pre-existing medical conditions and provided affordable health coverage for tens of millions of Americans. She’s fought to reduce the costs of prescription drugs and to cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors.

Her flagship issues have also included the climate crisis and equality of opportunity, and she has proved a steadfast advocate for greater transparency and accountability in government. 

In 2013, Nancy Pelosi was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Seneca Falls. Last year, she was presented with the  Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. But to Pelosi, the highest honor was being able  to speak, for decades, for the people of San Francisco. “I have truly loved serving as your voice in Congress,” she said in a video message last week announcing her decision not to seek reelection. 

“With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative. As we go forward, my message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power,” she added. “We have made history. We have made progress. We have always led the way, and now we must continue to do so by remaining full participants in our Democracy and fighting for the American ideals we hold dear.”