Pelosi: No question that voters are in an ‘anti-incumbent’ mood

On the heels of a top lawmaker’s primary defeat this week, Pelosi said she’s advised her members to work hard to court constituents.

“There’s no question there is, at this moment, an anti-incumbent mood,” the Speaker said at her weekly press conference.

Evidence of an anti-incumbent trend played out this past Tuesday when a state senator beat Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) in a Democratic primary. Utah Democrats also forced centrist Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) into a primary next month.

On the other side of the Capitol, two incumbent Democrats, Sens. Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Arlen Specter (Pa.), are in danger of losing their primary races next Tuesday.

The anti-incumbent wave isn’t limited to Democrats, either: Utah state GOP activists opted this weekend against renominating Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) to run for a fourth term. In the Kentucky GOP primary race for the Seante seat being vacated by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), Rand Paul leads a rival backed by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).

Pelosi said she’s advised her members no differently than before.

“They have to work hard to be the best representative they can for their districts,” the Speaker said, adding that she’s told them to “assume nothing, but don’t be dragged down by assumptions that may or may not apply to them.”