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Pelosi, With Future Undecided, Rallies Democratic Survivors

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has not yet announced her plans following the wave of Democratic losses in the midterm elections, sent a letter Wednesday to Democratic Members who survived to remind them their work is not done.

“Congratulations to you on your re-election to the House of Representatives and for conducting a courageous campaign in the face of great economic uncertainty and unprecedented, undisclosed special interest spending,” the California Democrat wrote. “I am very proud of our Democratic Caucus and our achievements on behalf of the American people.”

“Our work is not finished,” she added. “The outcome of the election does not lessen the challenges that our country faces, or diminish our determination to work for the American people. As I have said many times, we must strive to find common ground with our Republican colleagues when possible, and we must stand our ground when necessary on behalf of the American middle class.”

Pelosi’s note came on the same day that she met with her top lieutenant, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-M.D.), for more than two hours, discussing the outcome of the elections.

A source familiar with that meeting said the two had a “constructive conversation,” although nothing was decided on Democratic leadership positions in the next Congress.

Still, a Democratic lobbyist who saw Pelosi’s letter said it “does not sound like someone who is preparing to leave.”

Pelosi and Hoyer are expected to make a decision by the end of the week about as to how to move forward, according to a source close to leadership.

Pelosi’s sole public appearance Wednesday was a taped interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, in which she would only say that she would have “a conversation with my Caucus, I’ll have a conversation with my family and pray over it, and decide how to go forward. But today isn’t that day.”

Questioned in the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon about his next move, Hoyer was careful to say he would seek the Minority Leader job only if Pelosi does not.

“If the Speaker doesn’t run, yes,” he said.


Kathleen Hunter contributed to this article.

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