Updated: 6:50 p.m.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Democratic leaders Wednesday afternoon that President Barack Obama has to be “perfect” to win a second term, several senior Democratic aides told Roll Call.

Pelosi told leaders on a conference call that Obama will have problems running for re-election because of the loss of governorships in Ohio, Pennsylvania and other states, several aides said. The soon-to-be-ex-Speaker also said House Democrats have many opportunities to take back 25 House seats and win back the majority, aides said.

According to one aide, Pelosi also said she wasn’t sure whether the White House is prepared to deal with a Republican House. A leadership aide denied that Pelosi made such a statement.

Pelosi’s spokesman said Wednesday that the Speaker believes Obama will win. “The call was about the lame-duck session, and the Speaker believes that the president will be re-elected in 2012 and has said so on numerous occasions,” spokesman Nadeam Elshami said.