Will Nancy Pelosi Continue to Lead the Democrats?

REP. ELISSA SLOTKIN (D-MI): So, you know, I sometimes find that elected officials are sort of the last to know when these trends are happening on the ground. And American politics are so fluid right now. It’s changing every, you know, six to 12 months. I think the message from the election is that those, sort of, Trumpy, MAGA focused, kind of, extreme candidates will not win in swing states. So, as a party, you should look around the map and say, wow. What happens if our party can’t win in swing states? We need to, like, go on a little trip together. Sit and have an offsite retreat and figure out the new direction for our party. We’ve got to, like, rebuild and think about a different direction. And Donald Trump is not that direction that’s going backwards and not forwards.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, HOST: And even his biggest backers, the Murdoch Press, have very, very, obviously swerved way away from him. So, that’s going to be very interesting. And finally, let me ask you about a new generation and fresh blood on your party’s side. You know, President Biden becomes an octogenarian. We have, you know, amazingly powerful people in the Democratic Party holding very powerful positions, very successfully, it turns out who are also of that generation, whether it’s the house speaker and other. You have called and have said that it’s actually time for, you know, for new blood in the leadership. What do you anticipate once all the votes are in and the lay of the land, you know, and the House is clear. Will Nancy Pelosi have the votes to still be the leader of her party? You know, will people rally behind a different candidate for president next time?

SLOTKIN: Yes. So, I think — you know, it looks like the Republicans have the House of Representatives or will have a slim majority. So, then we’re talking about if Nancy Pelosi decides to stay, we’re talking about minority leader and she has the votes to secure that, right? That’s a secret vote. That’s just among Democrats. It’s very different than trying to run to be the speaker of the house. But, you know, I — no one knows. You’ll have to speak with her about what her plans are. But I do think regardless in the House, in the Senate, at the White House. Running for president, running for Senate, all these places, we need to be more deliberate as a party on building the bench, right? On getting more names and faces out there. And I will tell you my bias is, I don’t see a lot of Midwesterners in that leadership. I see a lot of California and New York, who we love. But the middle of the country is also a bid important area as well, especially a lot of those swing states. So, I’d like to see more Midwestern leaders come forward. I just — I don’t — I’m not saying, you know, out with experience and in with the new. I’m saying, can we do a little bit of a better job building that bench and bringing them up.