The Democrats muster an orderly leadership succession
Despite losing the House, the party has avoided the visible divisions of the Republicans
![WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 30: House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) departs a leadership election meeting with the Democratic caucus in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill November 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. Jeffries is expected to become the leading Democrat in the House after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) steps down from leadership. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20221203_USP003.jpg)
IN FOOTBALL, most managers have short tenures and are forgettable. Longevity is the key to legacy. So too when it comes to party management in Congress. In the 20 years since Nancy Pelosi took control as Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, more than 500 fellow party members have worked under her management. But that era is now closing. The first and current female speaker of the House will give up legislative coaching at the age of 82, choosing to stand down rather than take the demotion to minority leader, after Republicans recaptured control of the chamber in the midterm elections.
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “To the winners, the spoilers”
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