Are House Democrats turning on Nancy Pelosi?

(Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

published 21 June 2017

House Democrats seem to be second-guessing House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) after yet another devastating House special election defeat Tuesday in Georgia. While Democrats haven't gone so far as to make plans to challenge Pelosi's leadership, some party members were unabashedly frank in sharing their thoughts on Pelosi with Politico.

Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas) told Politico that Pelosi is "certainly one of the reasons" that Democrat Jon Ossoff lost to Republican Karen Handel in Georgia. "I think you'd have to be an idiot to think we could win the House with Pelosi at the top," Vela said.

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) said that he finds it "very concerning" that the Handel campaign tactic of tying Ossoff to Pelosi and her values "still has some punch." "Again, it's part of the broader national brand that average people don't feel connected to the Democratic Party," Ryan said. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) tweeted Tuesday night that he hoped the Georgia race would be a "wake up call for Democrats — business as usual isn't working."