Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi (born March 26, 1940)
is currently the Speaker of the United States House of
Representatives. Before becoming Speaker in the 110th Congress, she
was the House Minority Leader from 2002 to
2007, holding the post during the 107th, 108th, and 109th Congresses.
Since 1987, she has represented the 8th Congressional
District of California, which consists of four-fifths of the
City and County of San Francisco. The district was numbered as the 5th during
Pelosi's first three terms in the House.
With her election as Speaker she is the first woman, the first Californian and the first Italian-American to hold the
Speakership. She is also the second Speaker from a state west of the Rocky Mountains.
The first was Washington's Tom Foley, the last
Democrat to hold the post before Pelosi. As Speaker of the House, Pelosi ranks second in the line of presidential succession, following Vice President Dick Cheney. She is hence the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. Government, and no woman has
ever been as close in line to the U.S. presidency.
Early life and career
Pelosi was born to Italian-American parents in Baltimore, Maryland.[1] The youngest of six children, she was involved with
politics from an early age. Her father, Thomas
D'Alesandro, Jr., was a U.S. Congressman from Maryland and a Mayor of
Baltimore. Her mother, Anunciata, was born in Italy and immigrated to the U.S. in
1911.[2] Thomas L. J. D'Alesandro III, one of her five brothers, also served as Mayor of Baltimore
from 1967 to 1971.
Pelosi graduated from Baltimore's Institute of Notre Dame high school and
from Trinity College (now Trinity Washington University) in
Washington, D.C. in 1962. Pelosi interned for Senator Daniel Brewster (D-Maryland) alongside future House Majority Leader Steny
Hoyer.[3] She met Paul Pelosi while she was
attending Trinity College, and then Georgetown University. They married in a Catholic Church on September 7, 1963. After the couple married they moved to New York, and then
to San Francisco in 1969, where his brother Ronald Pelosi was a member of the city's board of supervisors[4] (San Francisco city and county council).
After moving to San Francisco, Pelosi worked her way up in Democratic politics. She was elected as party chairwoman for
Northern California on January 30, 1977. She later joined
forces with one of the leaders of the California Democratic Party, 5th District Congressman Phillip Burton. And in 1987, after her youngest child became a high school senior, she decided to run for
political office.
Pelosi is an honorary board member of the National
Organization of Italian American Women.
Family
Pelosi has five children: Nancy Corinne, Christine, Jacqueline, Paul, and Alexandra,
as well as six grandchildren. Alexandra, a journalist, covered the Republican presidential campaigns in 2000 and made a film
about the experience, Journeys with George. She also wrote a book on
coverage of the 2004 campaigns.
Financial status
The Pelosi family has a net worth of over US$25 million, primarily from Paul
Pelosi's investments. In addition to their large portfolio of jointly owned
San Francisco Bay Area real estate, he also has millions of dollars in stock from
publicly traded companies such as Microsoft, Amazon.com
and AT&T. In 2003, the Pelosi family sold their eight-acre
(three hectare) Rutherford vineyard. Pelosi
continues to be among the richest members of Congress.[5]
Congressional career
Nancy Pelosi with one of her predecessors, the late House Speaker
Tip O'Neill
Phillip Burton died in 1983 and was succeeded by his wife, Sala. In late 1986, Sala
became ill with cancer and decided not to run for reelection in 1988. She picked Pelosi as her
designated successor, guaranteeing her the support of the Burtons' contacts.[6] Sala died on February 1,
1987, just a month after being sworn in for a second full term. Pelosi won the special election to
succeed her, narrowly defeating San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt, and took office on
June 2, 1987.
Pelosi represents one of the safest Democratic districts in the country. Democrats have held the seat since 1949, and
Republicans, who currently make up only 13 percent of registered voters
in the district, have not made a serious bid for the seat since the early 1960s. Pelosi has kept this tradition going. Since her
initial victory in 1987, she has been reelected 10 times, receiving at least 75% of the vote. She has never participated in
candidates' debates.[7]
In the House, she served on the Appropriations and
Intelligence Committees, and was the
ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee for two years.
Democratic Party leadership
In 2001, Pelosi was elected the House Minority
Whip, second-in-command to Minority Leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri. She was the first woman in U.S. history to hold that position. Since then, she has campaigned for
candidates in 30 states and in 90 Congressional districts, making her a vital factor for the Democratic Party.
In 2002, after Gephardt resigned as minority leader to seek the Democratic nomination in the 2004 presidential election, Pelosi was elected to replace him, becoming the
first woman to lead a minority and major party in the House.
Blocking of impeachment proceedings against Bush
In the wake of George W. Bush's reelection in 2004, several leading House Democrats, including John Conyers of Michigan (then the ranking Democrat, and now the
chairman, of the House Judiciary Committee) believed that
Democrats should pursue impeachment proceedings against the
president. They asserted that Bush had misled Congress about weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq, and had violated the civil liberties of Americans by authorizing wiretaps without a warrant.
In May 2006, with an eye on the upcoming Congressional elections — which offered the possibility of Democrats taking back
control of the House for the first time since 1994 — Pelosi told colleagues that, while the Democrats would conduct vigorous
oversight of Bush administration policy, an impeachment investigation was "off the table." (A week earlier, she had told the
Washington Post that, although Democrats would not set out to impeach the
president, "you never know where" investigations might lead.)[8]
Since becoming Speaker of the House in January 2007, Pelosi has held firm against impeachment, notwithstanding strong support
for that course of action among constituents in her home district. In early July 2007, antiwar
activist Cindy Sheehan announced that unless Pelosi moved to impeach Bush by
July 23, Sheehan would run against Pelosi as an independent candidate in the 2008
election.[9]
Speaker of the House
Democratic nomination and election as Speaker
On November 16, 2006, Pelosi was unanimously chosen as the
Democratic candidate for Speaker, effectively making her Speaker-elect. While the Speaker is elected by the full House
membership, he or she almost always comes from the majority party.
Pelosi supported her longtime friend[10],
John Murtha of Pennsylvania for the position of
House Majority Leader, the second-ranking
post in the House Democratic caucus. His competitor was House Minority Whip Steny
Hoyer of Maryland, who had been Pelosi's second-in-command since 2003. Pelosi and Hoyer
had a somewhat frosty relationship dating back to 2001, when they ran against each other for minority whip. However, Hoyer was
elected as House Majority Leader over Murtha by a margin of 149-86 within the caucus.[11]
On January 3, Pelosi defeated Republican John Boehner of Ohio with 233 votes compared to his 202 votes in the election for Speaker of the House[12]. She was sworn in by her longtime friend, John Dingell of Michigan. Dingell, as the longest-serving member of the
House, presided over the election.
![Pelosi (right) with Vice President Dick Cheney behind President George W. Bush at the 2007 State of the Union Address making history as the first woman to sit behind the podium at such an address. President Bush acknowledged this by beginning his speech with the words, "[T]onight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own — as the first President to begin the State of the Union message with these words: Madam Speaker.[13]](http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/c/c5/180px-2007SOU_Bush_Cheney_Pelosi.jpg)
Pelosi (right) with Vice President
Dick Cheney behind President George W. Bush at the
2007 State of the Union Address making history as the first woman to sit
behind the podium at such an address. President Bush acknowledged this by beginning his speech with the words, "[T]onight, I have
a high privilege and distinct honor of my own — as the first President to begin the State of the Union message with these words:
Madam Speaker.
[13]
With her election, Pelosi became the first woman, the first Californian and the first Italian-American to hold the
Speakership. She is also the second Speaker from a state west of the Rocky Mountains.
The first was Washington's Tom Foley, the last
Democrat to hold the post before Pelosi.
In her speech to Congress she stated:
"I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship, and look forward to working with you on behalf of the
American people. In this House, we may belong to different parties, but we serve one country."[14]
During her speech, she discussed the historical importance of being the first female to hold the Speaker's position:
"This is a historic moment — for the Congress, and for the women of this country. It is a moment for which we have waited more
than 200 years. Never losing faith, we waited through the many years of struggle to achieve our rights. But women weren't just
waiting; women were working. Never losing faith, we worked to redeem the promise of America, that all men and women are created
equal. For our daughters and granddaughters, today, we have broken the marble ceiling. For
our daughters and our granddaughters, the sky is the limit, anything is possible for them."[14]
She also spoke on Iraq as the major issue facing the 110th Congress while incorporating some Democratic Party beliefs:
"The election of 2006 was a call to change — not merely to change the control of Congress, but for a new direction for our
country. Nowhere were the American people more clear about the need for a new direction than in Iraq. The American people
rejected an open-ended obligation to a war without end."[14]
Career as Speaker
As Speaker, Pelosi is still the leader of the House Democrats. However, by tradition, she does not normally participate in
debate (though she has the right to do so), and almost never votes on the floor.
Since being elected Speaker, the approval rating of the divided Congress has dropped to a historic low of less than 20% due
primarily to public frustration over Congress' inability to affect Bush's Iraq policy[15]. Individually, the approval rating of Republicans in Congress is 36%, while the
approval rating of Democrats is at 44%[16][17].
The "Hundred Hours"
-
Prior to the U.S. 2006 midterm elections, Pelosi announced a
plan for action: If elected, she and the newly-empowered Democratic caucus would push through most of its program during the
first hundred hours of the 110th Congress' term. [4] Later
she said this referred to business hours rather than clock time, and began on the Tuesday (January 9, 2007) after the swearing-in
ceremony on January 4th.
The origin for the name "first hundred hours" is a play on words derived from former Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt's promise
for quick action on the part of government (to combat the Great
Depression) during his "first hundred days" in office. Newt Gingrich, the former Republican Speaker, had a similar 100-day agenda to implement the
Contract with America.
Opposition to Iraq War troop surge of 2007
-
On January 5, 2007 reacting to suggestions from President Bush’s confidantes that he would increase troop levels in Iraq
(which he announced in a speech a few days later) Pelosi joined with Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid to condemn the plan. They sent Bush a letter saying, “there is no purely military solution in Iraq. There is only a
political solution. Adding more combat troops will only endanger more Americans and stretch our military to the breaking point
for no strategic gain. Rather than deploy additional forces to Iraq, we believe the way forward is to begin the phased
redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months, while shifting the principal mission of our forces there from combat
to training, logistics, force protection and counter-terror.”[18]
Foreign Policy
2007 trip to Israel and Syria
Pelosi was one of seven American lawmakers to participate in a 2007 Mideast tour — with Keith Ellison (D-MN), Henry Waxman (D-CA),
Tom Lantos (D-CA), Louise Slaughter
(D-NY), Nick Rahall (D-WV), and David Hobson (R-OH) —
that included stops in Israel, Syria [5], the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. Three Republican congressmen — Frank Wolf, Joe Pitts and Robert
Aderholt — met with Syrian President Bashar Assad earlier. Pelosi had the
opportunity to address the Israeli Knesset where she expressed concern "that the
new (Hamas-Fatah) Palestinian government, some of the people in the government,
continue to remain committed to the existence of Israel." An Israeli spokeswoman said Pelosi would convey "that Israel is willing
to talk if they (Syria) would openly take steps to stop supporting terrorism" in order to be "a partner for negotiations." The
delegation talked "extensively" with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert about a relaunched
2002 Saudi peace plan with Israel, which Olmert welcomed as a "new way of thinking, the willingness to recognize Israel as an
established fact and to debate the conditions of the future solution," but expressed reservations over the plan and invited Arab
leaders to discuss them. The delegation met with the families of the three kidnapped Israeli soldiers during the visit and Pelosi
said she planned to raise the issue when she met with Assad.
At a press conference after her meeting with Assad, Pelosi said that she had conveyed a message from Olmert to Syrian
President Assad saying that Olmert was ready to negotiate for peace. Olmert's office later clarified what he had actually told
Pelosi, saying that "although Israel is interested in peace with Syria, that country continues to be part of the axis of evil and
a force that encourages terror in the entire Middle East."[19] Sources at the Israeli Prime Minister's Office at the time said that, "Pelosi took part of the
things that were said in the meeting, and used what suited her."[20]
Washington disapproves of Syria's backing of Hamas and Hezbollah and says Syria is destabilizing Lebanon's government as well as fueling Iraq's violence by allowing Sunni insurgents to operate from its
territory. Syrian officials have been implicated in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri in Beirut, and the U.S. subsequently withdrew its ambassador.
Pelosi still holds out hope for a peaceful solution, stating that "the road to Damascus is a road to peace."[21]
Later, in Saudi Arabia, Pelosi met with King
Abdullah. Pelosi visited the Shura Council, the kingdom's unelected advisory council, and raised the issue of Saudi
Arabia's lack of female politicians with Saudi officials.[22]
Cuba
Pelosi voted in favor of keeping the travel restrictions on American citizens to Cuba, until the President has certified that
Cuba has released all political prisoners, and extradited all individuals sought by
the U.S. on charges of air piracy, drug trafficking and murder.[23]
North Korea
Pelosi discussed North Korea's missile launches with the following: "North Korea is moving outside the circle of acceptable
behavior and is threatening the region, the United States, and the world. We must use every possible tool to stop North Korea’s
unacceptable, provocative actions including six party, multilateral, and bilateral diplomatic negotiations."[24]
Colombia
Pelosi publicly scolded Colombian President Alvaro Uribe during Uribe's May 2007 state
trip to America. Rather than meet with Uribe, Pelosi released a statement that "expressed growing concerns about the serious
allegations" between Paramilitary groups and Colombian government officials. [25] Pelosi also came out against the Colombian free trade
agreement.[26]
Turkey
On October 11, 2007, regarding a proposed House resolution to label the 1915 killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as
genocide, Pelosi said that the measure would be brought to a vote because "While that may have been a long time ago, genocide is
taking place now in Darfur, it did within recent memory in Rwanda, so as long as there is genocide there is need to speak out
against it..." [27] Turkey's prime minister said that
approval of the resolution would endanger U.S.-Turkey relations. [28]
Political positions and voting record
Pelosi is regarded as a liberal, in part because she represents most
of San Francisco, well known for its tradition of left-leaning politics. She has a lifetime rating of 3 from the right-leaning
American Conservative Union, which is tied for the second-lowest rating from
them in the California delegation.[29] During the 2004
and 2006 election cycles, Republicans frequently used the prospect of a "San Francisco
liberal" or "Bay Area liberal" becoming Speaker as a tool to win votes, especially in the South. She was a founding member
of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, but left in 2003 after being
elected Minority Leader. She felt that it would be inappropriate for her to be a member of any caucuses.
However, among Pelosi's Democratic colleagues, she is considered to be far less liberal than portrayed. Her longtime friend,
Jim McDermott of Washington, told Newsweek that
he and other left-leaning Democratic congressmen sometimes wish that "she would tilt a little more our way from time to time."
During the 2006 campaign, corporate consultants suggested that the Democrats portray themselves as a party that governed for all.
As Speaker, Pelosi has tried to focus more on economic than social issues.[30]
In San Francisco, Pelosi is sometimes seen as being a moderate or even a conservative (by San Francisco standards) rather than
a liberal, which has led to some conflicts with her constituents, particularly with anti-war activists.[31][32] Nonetheless, she has never faced a serious challenger in the Democratic primary, which is the real
contest in this overwhelmingly Democratic district.
Abortion
Pelosi supports the legality of abortion. She voted against the 2000 Partial Birth Abortion
Act, and in 2003 she voted twice against related legislation.[33] She voted in favor of the 1998 Abortion Funding Amendment, which allowed the use of district funds
to promote abortion related activities.[34] She has also
voted in favor of using federal funds to perform abortions in overseas military facilities, against parental notification when a
minor is transported across state lines for an abortion, and in favor of providing funding for organizations working overseas
that promote or perform abortions and abortion-related activities.[35]
Budget and taxes
Pelosi has been an advocate for a balanced budget, though she voted against the 1995 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment, which was passed by the House by a
300-132 vote, but in the Senate fell two votes short of the 2/3 supermajority required (with 65 out of 100 Senators voting in
favor).[36]
Civil liberties
Pelosi has voted for protection of civil liberties and First Amendment rights.[37] In 2005, she voted against a Constitutional amendment banning
flag-burning[38] and against reauthorization of certain
provisions of the Patriot Act.[39] She also voted against
a Congressional resolution supporting the display of the Ten Commandments in
courtrooms.[40] The ACLU's Congressional Scorecard has given Pelosi a lifetime rating of 93% for her voting
record on civil liberties.[41]
Education
Pelosi voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, which instituted testing to
track students' progress and authorized an increase in overall education spending.[42]
Environment and energy
Pelosi has supported the development of new technologies to reduce U.S. dependence upon foreign oil and ameliorate the adverse
environmental effects of burning fossil fuels.[43] Pelosi has widely supported conservation programs and energy research appropriations. Pelosi
has also voted to remove an amendment that would allow for oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.[44]
Gay rights
Pelosi has consistently voted in keeping with the principle of assuring equality for gays and
lesbians. In 1996, she was one of only 67 representatives to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act.[45] In 1999, she voted against banning adoption by gays within the District of Columbia. In 2004 and
2006, she voted against the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, which would
amend the Constitution to define marriage as being between one man and one woman.[46][47]
Gun control
Pelosi is strongly pro-gun control. In particular, she believes that gun manufacturers should be held responsible for the
(mis)use of guns. The NRA has given her an F rating, indicating a strongly
anti-gun stance.[48]
Health care
Speaker Pelosi has voted to increase Medicare and Medicaid benefits.[49]
Immigration
Pelosi has been a supporter of rights for immigrants in the U.S.,[50] including those who enter illegally.[51] She voted against the Secure Fence Act of
2006.[52]
Lobbyist guidelines and ethics issues
Pelosi introduced the Honest Leadership and Open Government
Act to Congress.
Minimum wage
As Speaker of the House, she also spearheaded the Fair Minimum Wage Act of
2007 as part of the 100-Hour Plan. The Act raises the minimum wage in the United States and the territories of the Northern Marianas Islands and American Samoa. American
Samoa was initially absent from the act, but as part of HR 2206 it was
included. One Republican congressman who voted against the initial bill accused Pelosi of unethically benefiting Del Monte Foods (headquartered in her district) by the exclusion of the territory, where Del Monte's
StarKist Tuna brand is a major employer.[53] Pelosi co-sponsored legislation that omitted American Samoa from a raise in the minimum wage as
early as 1999, prior to Del Monte's acquisition of StarKist Tuna in 2002.[54] As of the 2002, 2004, and 2006 election cycles, Del Monte has not contributed to Democratic
candidates.[55]
Military draft
In regards to Representative Charles Rangel's (D-NY) plan to introduce legislation
that would reinstate the draft, Pelosi stated that she did not support such legislation.[56]
The Second Gulf War
In 1998, Pelosi stated that Saddam Hussein "has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology." in
supporting the military air strike President Clinton carried out then "to degrade Saddam's capacity to develop and deliver
weapons of mass destruction, and to degrade his ability to threaten his neighbors."[57][58] After 2001, Pelosi has generally supported spending for national defense in areas of the
War on Terrorism.[59] Pelosi voted for the USA Patriot Act, but has since
opposed the extension of provisions that she believes would further curtail individual liberties.[60]
In 2002, Pelosi opposed the Iraq Resolution authorizing President Bush to use
military force against Iraq,[61] while
stating that Iraq, like "other countries of concern", had WMD.[62] In explaining her opposition to the resolution, Pelosi noted that Central Intelligence Agency
Director George Tenet had told Congress that the likelihood of Iraq's Saddam Hussein
launching an attack on the U.S. using weapons of mass destruction was low. "This is about the Constitution," Pelosi said. "It is
about this Congress asserting its right to declare war when we are fully aware what the challenges are to us. It is about
respecting the United Nations and a multilateral approach, which is safer for our
troops."
Middle East conflict
Pelosi reaffirms that "America and Israel share an unbreakable bond: in peace and war; and in
prosperity and in hardship."[63] Pelosi
emphasized that "a strong relationship between the United States and Israel has long been supported by both Democrats and
Republicans. America's commitment to the safety and security of the State of Israel is unwavering,...[h]owever, the
war in Iraq has made both America and Israel less safe." Pelosi's voting
record shows consistent support for Israel. Prior to 2006 elections in the Palestinian Authority, she voted for a Congressional
initiative disapproving of participation in the elections by Hamas and other organizations defined
as terrorist by the legislation. She agrees with the current U.S. stance in support of land-for-peace. She has applauded Israeli
"hopeful signs" of offering land, while criticizing Palestinian "threats" of not demonstrating peace in turn. She states, "If the
Palestinians agree to coordinate with Israel on the evacuation, establish the rule of law, and demonstrate a capacity to govern,
the world may be convinced that finally there is a real partner for peace."[63]
Pelosi supports the Syria Accountability Act and Iran Freedom and Support Act. In a speech at the AIPAC 2005 annual conference, Pelosi said that "for too long, leaders from both
parties haven't done enough" to put pressure on Russia and China
who are providing Iran with technological information on nuclear issues and missiles. "If evidence
of participation by other nations in Iran's nuclear program is discovered, I will insist that the Administration use, rather than
ignore, the evidence in determining how the U.S. deals with that nation or nations on other issues."[64]
During the 2006 Lebanon War, Pelosi voted in favor of Resolution 921 on the count
that "the seizure of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah terrorists was an unprovoked attack and
Israel has the right, and indeed the obligation, to respond." She argues organizations and political bodies in the Mideast like
Hamas and Hezbollah "have a greater interest in maintaining a
state of hostility with Israel than in improving the lives of the people they claim to represent." Pelosi asserts that civilians
on both sides of the border "have been put at risk by the aggression of Hamas and Hezbollah" in part for their use of "civilians
as shields by concealing weapons in civilian areas."[65]
In a February 15, 2007 interview, Pelosi noted that Bush
consistently said he supports a diplomatic resolution to differences with Iran "and I take him at his word." At the same time,
she said, "I do believe that Congress should assert itself, though, and make it very clear that there is no previous authority
for the president, any president, to go into Iran."[66]
On January 12, 2007, Congressman Walter B. Jones of North Carolina introduced a
resolution[67] requiring that — absent a national
emergency created by an attack, or a demonstrably imminent attack, by Iran upon the United States or its armed forces — the
President must consult with Congress and receive specific authorization prior to initiating any use of military force against
Iran.[68] This resolution was removed from a military
spending bill for the war in Iraq by Pelosi on March 13, 2007.[69]
On February 15, 2007, Pelosi said President Bush lacks the
authority to invade Iran without specific approval from Congress, "I do believe that Congress should assert itself, though, and
make it very clear that there is no previous authority for the president, any president, to go into Iran."[70]
Electoral history
Pelosi's only close race so far has been the special election to succeed Sala Burton's seat after her death in February 1987.
In the special election's Democratic primary, Pelosi narrowly defeated San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt, considered the more "progressive" candidate, with 36 percent of the vote to his 32
percent.[6][71] In the runoff against Republican candidate Harriet Ross, Pelosi received
more than a 2 to 1 majority of cast votes in a turnout that comprised about 24% of eligible voters.[72] Since then, Pelosi has enjoyed overwhelming support in her political career,
collecting 76 and 77 percent of the vote in California's 5th
congressional district for the 1988 and 1990 Race for U.S. House of Representatives. In 1992, after the redistricting from
the 1990 Census, Pelosi ran in California's 8th congressional district, which now covered the San Francisco
area. She has continued to post impressive results since, dropping beneath 80 percent of the vote only once.[73]
California's 5th congressional district Results
1986–1990[74]
| Year |
|
Democrat |
Votes |
Pct |
|
Republican |
Votes |
Pct |
|
3rd Party |
Party |
Votes |
Pct |
|
3rd Party |
Party |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1986 |
|
Sala Burton
* |
122,688 |
75% |
|
Mike Garza |
36,039 |
22% |
|
Samuel K. Grove |
Libertarian |
2,409 |
1% |
|
Theodore Zuur |
Peace and Freedom |
2,078 |
1% |
| 1988 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
133,530 |
76% |
|
Bruce Michael O'Neill |
33,692 |
19% |
|
Theodore Zuur |
Peace and Freedom |
3,975 |
2% |
|
Samuel K. Grove |
Libertarian |
3,561 |
2% |
| 1990 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
120,633 |
77% |
|
Alan Nichols |
35,671 |
23% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Sala Burton died while in office; Nancy Pelosi won a close Democratic primary with 36% of the
vote. She then easily won the runoff with ~63% of the vote to serve out the remainder of Burton's term.
California's 8th congressional district Results
1992–2006[74][75][76]
| Year |
|
Democrat |
Votes |
Pct |
|
Republican |
Votes |
Pct |
|
3rd Party |
Party |
Votes |
Pct |
|
3rd Party |
Party |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1992 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
191,906 |
82% |
|
Marc Wolin |
25,693 |
11% |
|
Cesar G. Cadabes |
Peace and Freedom |
7,572 |
3% |
|
James R. Elwood |
Libertarian |
7,511 |
3% |
| 1994 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
137,642 |
82% |
|
Elsa C. Cheung |
30,528 |
18% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1996 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
175,216 |
84% |
|
Justin
Raimondo |
25,739 |
12% |
|
David Smithstein |
Natural Law |
6,783 |
3% |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1998 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
148,027 |
86% |
|
David J. Martz |
20,718 |
12% |
|
David Smithstein |
Natural Law |
3,654 |
2% |
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
181,847 |
84% |
|
Adam Sparks |
25,298 |
12% |
|
Erik Bauman |
Libertarian |
5,645 |
3% |
|
David Smithstein |
Natural Law |
2,638 |
1% |
| 2002 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
127,684 |
80% |
|
G. Michael German |
20,063 |
13% |
|
Jay Pond |
Green |
10,033 |
6% |
|
Ira Spivack |
Libertarian |
2,659 |
2% |
| 2004 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
224,017 |
83% |
|
Jennifer DePalma |
31,074 |
12% |
|
Leilani Dowell |
Peace and Freedom |
9,527 |
4% |
|
Terry Baum |
Write-in * (Green) |
5,446 |
2% |
| 2006 |
|
Nancy Pelosi |
110,989 |
80% |
|
Mike DeNunzio |
14,596 |
11% |
|
Krissy Keefer |
Green |
10,422 |
8% |
|
Philip Berg |
Libertarian |
2,054 |
1% |
* Write-in notes: According to the Clerk's office, there were 9 write-in votes registered in 1992;
1 write-in vote in 1994; and 2 write-ins in 2002. In 2004, Terry Baum waged a write-in campaign after being disqualified from the
ballot under the aegis of the Green Party, but write-ins technically do not have a party.
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![Pelosi (right) with Vice President Dick Cheney behind President George W. Bush at the 2007 State of the Union Address making history as the first woman to sit behind the podium at such an address. President Bush acknowledged this by beginning his speech with the words, "[T]onight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own — as the first President to begin the State of the Union message with these words: Madam Speaker.[13]](http://www.answers.com/main/Record2?a=NR&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fwiki%2FImage%3A2007SOU%2520Bush%2520Cheney%2520Pelosi.jpg)
