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New York Dem Rep Won’t Support Pelosi for House Leadership

Brian Higgins: The minority leader is 'aloof, frenetic and misguided'

Nancy Pelosi / Getty Images
June 14, 2018

Rep. Brian Higgins (D., N.Y.) said Wednesday he will not support House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) for another term as the Democratic leader in the House.

Higgins referred to Pelosi as "aloof, frenetic and misguided," and said she has not put forth a clear Democratic agenda, Buffalo News reports.

Higgins claimed other House Democrats share his view of the minority leader. "I'm giving voice to a frustration that I hear every single day," he said, although he refused to specifically name any colleagues.

The New York Democrat further expressed his displeasure with the state of Democratic leadership generally. 

"Our leadership is out of touch with what is going on not only in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan but in Cheektowaga, West Seneca, Hamburg, Orchard Park and Lancaster," he said. "Democratic voters at least and voters writ large feel politically homeless, and it's because we are not offering something affirmative to give people hope and something to invest in, in the way that we want to do things."

Higgins is not the only Democrat to express concern with Pelosi. A number of current representatives and candidates across the country have distanced themselves from the minority leader or directly called for a change of leadership. A Democratic House candidate in Arkansas, Clarke Tucker, released an ad earlier this week saying he would not support her for leadership if elected.

The ad opens with Tucker assuring voters he has "said from day one that I won't vote for Nancy Pelosi." He goes on to say that "my priority is our families and our future, not the politics of the past."

Pelosi staved off a leadership challenge from Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan after the 2016 election. Although 134 House Democrats supported Pelosi, 63 voted against her.