Former Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), who is 83 years old, told a gathering of volunteers on Friday that she has decided to run for reelection in 2024, citing the importance of promoting “the values of San Francisco.”
Pelosi later confirmed her decision on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pelosi stepped down last November as speaker of the House, declaring that “the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic Caucus that I so deeply respect,” though she resolved to serve out her term and did not make definitive statements about future runs. Pelosi, born in 1940, is the ninth-oldest member of Congress.
The former House speaker was cagey about her political future until the last minute. Pelosi told Politico Thursday that “I haven’t been thinking much about [retirement]—yet,” though she qualified the statement by saying, “But I will. When I need to, I will.”
Many Americans have grown frustrated with the advanced age of their political leaders, polls show. Seventy-seven percent of Americans believe President Joe Biden, three years younger than Pelosi, is unable to “effectively serve” for another four years due to his age, according to an AP-NORC poll. A CBS News poll similarly found that 73 percent of Americans believe there should be a maximum age cap placed on elected officials.
Pelosi has made a point to defend her aging Democratic colleagues. She suggested on Thursday that calls for 90-year-old California senator Dianne Feinstein to retire are based on sexism. Reports have long indicated that Feinstein is in a state of mental decline. The former speaker has also railed against conservatives for suggesting that Biden’s age makes him unfit for the presidency. She described Biden as a “kid,” dismissing age-related criticisms of the president as an “excuse.”
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