Lou

Following a legendary run, Nancy Pelosi agrees to pass the torch.

Not to put too fine a point on this, but lawmakers and leaders with records like Nancy Pelosi’s tend to have buildings named after them.

Nancy Pelosi, the first female speaker of the House, who helped shape many of the most consequential laws of the early 21st century, said Thursday that she will step down after two decades as the Democratic Party’s leader in the chamber. “With great confidence in our caucus I will not seek re-election to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” Pelosi said in a speech on the House floor.

The Democratic lawmaker is not resigning. Pelosi, who was easily re-elected last week, explained in her remarks that she will remain in Congress as a Democratic member representing San Francisco.

It was Pelosi who helped pass the Recovery Act that ended the Great Recession. It was Pelosi who ensured the Affordable Care Act became law. It was Pelosi whose record includes historic legislative victories on civil rights, Wall Street reforms, student loans, Covid relief, climate change, infrastructure and prescription medications.

President Joe Biden issued a written statement this afternoon, saying, “History will note she is the most consequential Speaker of the House of Representatives in our history.” There is no reason to consider that hyperbolic in the slightest.

Postscript: During her floor remarks today, Pelosi said she’s “enjoyed working with three presidents” as speaker, before referencing accomplishments from the Bush, Obama and Biden eras.

Left unsaid was the fact that Pelosi served as speaker under four presidents, not three

Democrats kept control of the Senate on Saturday, repelling Republican efforts to retake the chamber and making it harder for them to thwart President Biden’s agenda. The fate of the House was still uncertain as the GOP struggled to pull together a slim majority there.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s victory in Nevada gave Democrats the 50 seats they needed to keep the Senate. Her win reflects the surprising strength of Democrats across the US this election year. Seeking reelection in an economically challenged state that has some of the highest gas prices in the nation, Cortez Masto was considered the Senate’s most vulnerable member, adding to the frustration of Republicans who were confident she could be defeated.

“We got a lot done and we’ll do a lot more for the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Saturday night. “The American people rejected — soundly rejected — the anti-democratic, authoritarian, nasty and divisive direction the MAGA Republicans wanted to take our country.”

With the results in Nevada now decided, Georgia is the only state where both parties are still competing for a Senate seat. Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock faces GOP challenger Herschel Walker in a Dec. 6 runoff. Alaska’s Senate race has advanced to ranked choice voting, though the seat will stay in Republican hands.

Democrat Maura Healey sailed to victory in Massachusetts governor’s race on Tuesday, soundly defeating Republican Geoff Diehl to become the first woman and openly gay candidate to win the state’s top elected post.

Healey and her running mate Kim Driscoll, a Salem Democrat, had more than 64% of the vote against Republican challenger Diehl and his running mate, Leah Allen of Danvers.

“I’m here tonight because of the people of this state who talked to me about their lives and their dreams, what they want, and what they need,” Healey told supporters at the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel Tuesday night. “To those who voted for me, and those who didn’t, I want you to know I’ll be a governor for everyone.”

Healey and Driscoll both thanked their family, friends and supporters and reminded them that the duo will break through Beacon Hill’s traditional glass-ceiling with the first, all-female gubernatorial administration.

“Hey Massachusetts, tonight we made history,” Driscoll told the crowd to a roar of applause. “Actually, we made herstory!”

The Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. but Diehl’s campaign didn’t immediately accept the outcome of the election.

Healey and Driscoll will replace two-term Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, who weren’t seeking another term.

They will also shift control of the governor’s corner office back to Democrats for the first time in eight years.

In other statewide races, Democrat Andrea Campbell, a former Boston city councilor, defeated Republican Jay McMahon, a Bourne lawyer, in the race to replace Healey as the state’s attorney general. She will become the state’s first Black attorney general.

Incumbent Secretary of State William Galvin, a Democrat, deflected a challenge from Republican nominee Rayla Campbell and Green-Rainbow candidate Juan Sanchez to win a historic eighth term, making him one of the longest-serving secretaries of state in the nation.

In the state auditor’s race, state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, D-Methuen, appeared poised to edge out Republican Anthony Amore of Winchester and three independent candidates to replace Democrat Suzanne Bump, who isn’t seeking a fourth term.

And incumbent Treasurer Deb Goldberg easily fended off a challenge from Libertarian candidate Cristina Crawford to win another term as the state’s top financial watchdog.

Despite her loss, Crawford received more than the 3% of the vote needed to restore the Libertarian Party’s status as a major political party ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

State Rep Sally Kerans was elected as State Representative for 13th Essex District. Sally ran unopposed but Michael Bean of Danvers ran as a write in candidate.

Senator Joan Lovely was reelected as State senator for the 2nd Essex District. Senator Lovely was opposed by Damian Anketell. Senator Lovell received 67.6 % of the vote.

Democrat Andrea Campbell has been elected as Massachusetts Attorney General, NBC News projects, making her the first Black woman to serve as the state’s top law enforcement officer.

She defeated GOP candidate Jay McMahon, who was seeking to become the first Republican elected to the post since the 1960s.

During the campaign, Campbell promised a focus on equity while McMahon vowed to target crime and corruption.

Speaking to an audience of supporters at an election night party in Boston on Tuesday, Campbell called it a “history-making night” for Democrats.

[This is] the first time you have elected a woman of color and a Black woman to serve as attorney general in Massachusetts,” Campbell said. “We don’t just say representation matters, we are showing it, and that history and responsibility is not lost on me.”

Campbell declared herself the winner less than an hour before the AP announced its projection that she would defeat McMahon late Tuesday night. Her speech was briefly interrupted by a wave of cheers that rang out from the back of the room to the balconies.

“I will come to work every day with joy, hope, possibility, integrity, and accountability to you the people,” she said. “I look forward to getting to work for a more fair and just Commonwealth.”

DDTC members stand on Sat. Oct. 22 from 8:30 to 11:30 at Town Hall celebrating the first day of early voting with State Rep Sally Kerans and State Senator Joan Lovely.

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol issued a subpoena to former President Donald Trump on Friday, compelling his testimony and relevant documents.

The committee took the major and unexpected step of voting to subpoena Trump during its hearing last week. The subpoena sets up a timeline for the president to provide relevant documents to the committee, by Nov. 4, and to testify before the committee, by Nov. 14.

Among the documents that Trump must provide are his calls and messages from Jan. 6, 2021, any contact with members of Congress related to the election between Dec. 18 and Jan. 6, 2021, photos and video recordings taken during the events of Jan. 6, communication referencing extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and any communication between Nov. 3 and Jan. 20 with a list of individuals including Steve Bannon, Roger Stone and John Eastman, among other documents.