Nancy Pelosi says she'll seek House reelection in 2024, dismissing talk of retirement at age 83

[Hortensis]

52. Progressoid, every 2 years all 435 seats are up for grabs, and

EVERY freshman class brings "new blood," most of them fairly to very young. The problem with age isn't lack of new blood but lack of leadership positions opening up because old leaders don't move on. Of course, please note that Pelosi has. She resigned from leadership, opening that position for a younger person.

As for the new blood someday moving up, a very important task of house leadership is to identify people of particular ability who arrive in each new class, both innate talents and special expertise, such as in agricultural policy and climate change, and to help bring them along. In 2013 Hakeem Jeffries was one.

Now and then a new class will include a prospective star who may someday be invaluable in leading them all to great achievements and in saving us from the MAGA movements of the future. Pelosi and the others watch each class eagerly for signs of new leaders. Now we watch to see if Jeffries will someday match her.

HOWEVER, as Bob and others suggest, the chances that any one new person will match those who've risen to special responsibilities are not strong. As for any one having the capacity to someday match Pelosi's extraordinary abilities, extremely unlikely.

u]Typical "new blood" serves two or three terms, contributes as an on-the-job trainee among over 200 Democratic colleagues, and others, to some group achievements to be proud of, and learns some things worth knowing, but never rises among his or her colleagues before moving on and making way for more new blood to be tested.