Obama: Pelosi will be Speaker again after November midterms

Former President Obama this week predicted House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will again be Speaker after the midterm elections.

Politico reported in Playbook that Obama spoke at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraiser in Northern California, which Pelosi co-hosted.

“I think everybody knows how much I love Nancy Pelosi. So … Paul’s alright,” Obama joked, according to Politico.

{mosads}

“But Nancy, I believe is one of the greatest Speakers we ever had and will once again be one of the greatest Speakers we ever have after we get through this cycle,” he added.

Obama went on to praise Pelosi for her work while he was in office, according to Politico.

The former president’s backing of Pelsoi comes amid a heated internal debate among Democrats over whether to support Pelosi as Speaker should the party retake control of the House after the November midterms.

Questions over the future of the party intensified after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a stunning upset victory over Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) in a primary earlier this week. Crowley was considered a potential candidate for Speaker in the next congressional session.

A number of Democrats have indicated they would not support Pelosi as Speaker if the Democrats are able to secure control of the House in November.

Republicans, meanwhile, have attempted to tie Democratic congressional candidates to Pelosi in an effort to sink their campaigns.

Pelosi has welcomed the strategy, saying last month that winning elections is worth the cost of enduring attacks on her status as a party leader.

“Many are saying we need new leadership. I don’t take offense at that,” she said.

“I’m OK. Just win, baby.”