Are House Democrats turning on Nancy Pelosi?

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."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

Yet not all Democrats are pinning the blame on Pelosi, whom Politico described as "the Democrat that Republicans most love to hate." Politico reported that some Democrats diagnosed the problem as the party's tendency to "try to nationalize every race," while others said that Washington needs to realize not everyone is so concerned about the Trump-Russia investigation.

Read more on the budding Pelosi backlash at Politico.