Player of the Week: Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) grip on the Speaker’s gavel has become more tenuous.

Following the 2006 wave, Pelosi became the first female Speaker in 2007 with a modest majority. After the next Democratic wave, in 2008, Pelosi was armed with what she has called a “strong majority.”

{mosads}In a clear indication of how quickly the political winds can shift, House Democrats will be claiming victory if they have a one-seat majority in 2011. 

There is panic on the Democratic side of the aisle, and for good reason. Congressional approval ratings are low, as are President Obama’s. The electorate is angry, and that anger typically punishes the party in power.

Many Democratic operatives inside the Washington Beltway say the House will flip, but those predictions are premature. There are seven weeks until the midterms.

Pelosi has faced many challenges in her impressive political career. She has overcome obstacles to become the first female Speaker, defied the expectations of those who doubted she would do an effective job, gone toe to toe with President George W. Bush and helped pass a massive restructuring of healthcare.

But the challenges she faces this month are daunting. She must first calm her Democratic Caucus after a disastrous August in which grim economic news got worse. She then must focus her colleagues’ attention on the nuts and bolts of campaigning. A wave is coming, and those with a tenuous grip will not keep hold of their seats on Nov. 2.

Pelosi will surely lean on her members to pay their dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Money is one clear advantage Democrats have over Republicans this cycle. 

For the past two cycles, Pelosi has been playing offense as Democrats picked up a net 54 seats. Now, for the first time as the House’s top Democrat, her defensive playbook will be tested. 

The stakes could not be higher for her and the Obama administration.

Vice President Joe Biden has said that if the GOP wins control of the lower chamber, it would be the “end of the road” for the White House’s agenda. 

Pelosi will be regarded as one of the most powerful Speakers in history, but her reign is in serious jeopardy.

The Speaker has long said she loves the campaign season.

If she is successful in keeping the House in Democratic hands, it will be one of her most significant accomplishments.