Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Thursday was elected as the new Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, as the Democratic Party seized control of the chamber following the November election.
The victory marks Pelosi’s second term at the helm, as she presided as the House’s first woman Speaker from 2007 to 2011, when Republicans took the chamber for an 8-year majority run.
Pelosi, 78, grabbed the top spot with 220 votes, compared to Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy’s 192 votes.
With the appointment, Pelosi leads the opposition against President Trump, who has gotten a veritable pass for the past 2 years from the Republican-controlled House. One of her first duties in office will be to conduct in-depth investigations into the President’s activities during that time, according U.S. News and World Report.
Pelosi was first elected to the House in ‘87, and has since promoted legislation for large-scale infrastructure projects which Trump has also come out in favor of. However, the 2 parties have vastly different ideas as to how these projects would be best accomplished.
As Speaker of the House, Pelosi will set the legislative agenda for the chamber, and is second in line for the presidency after Vice President Mike Pence if Trump were to become unable to fulfill his duties.
Republicans maintain control of the Senate by a margin of 53-47 for the next 2 years.