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Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has announced plans to retire from Congress.
“I want you, my fellow San Franciscans, to be the first to know I will not be seeking reelection to Congress with a grateful heart,” the former House speaker said.
Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and one of the most influential lawmakers of the modern era, announced Thursday that she will not seek reelection — concluding a 38-year congressional career marked by political mastery, moral clarity, and steadfast commitment to equality.
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Pelosi shared the news in a more than 5-minute-long social-media video at 9 a.m. ET.
In it, the 85-year-old Democrat reflected on the city that forged her political identity and thanked her constituents for decades of trust. “It was you who made those words come true,” Pelosi said, recalling her first campaign slogan from 1987, “A voice that will be heard.” “It was the faith that you had placed in me and the latitude that you had given that enabled me to shatter the marble ceiling and be the first woman speaker of the House.”
First elected in a 1987 special election, Pelosi rose to national prominence as a legislative tactician and a symbol of progressive governance. She twice held the speaker’s gavel — from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023 — steering the passage of the Affordable Care Act and the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” among other landmark measures.
Her retirement announcement underscored her deep connection to San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community. Pelosi invoked the city’s resilience during the HIV and AIDS crisis, crediting its public health innovations as the foundation for the federal Ryan White CARE Act, which she helped author. Her first floor speech in Congress urged President Reagan to act on AIDS, and she later secured permits for the AIDS Memorial Quilt’s first display on the National Mall.
The Human Rights Campaign praised her record Thursday. “There will never be another Nancy Pelosi — she is one of one,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said. “Throughout her career, Speaker Emerita Pelosi has remained a tireless champion for LGBTQ+ equality … Her steel spine, allyship, and keen insight have served as powerful tools in our shared fight for progress, and we are grateful for her unwavering commitment to our community.”
Pelosi earned a near-perfect lifetime rating on HRC’s Congressional Scorecard. Under her leadership, the House passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the Equality Act, and the Respect for Marriage Act, which repealed the Defense of Marriage Act and codified marriage equality.
In a June 2024 interview with The Advocate, Pelosi spoke candidly about her work on the AIDS Quilt and the growing attacks on transgender Americans. Touring the Quilt’s exhibit at the Library of Congress, she recalled the early years of the epidemic: “Our friends holding them in our arms. Formerly robust people. Just so frail.” On anti-trans attacks, she said, “It’s cruelty. And I guess it sells in certain markets, I don’t know.” She rejected “tolerance” as a goal, insisting instead on “respect… taking pride… embracing and celebrating our differences.”
National LGBTQ Task Force communications director Cathy Renna said Pelosi’s decision is being met with both gratitude and reflection. “She was probably one of the most impactful House speakers in history and an OG supporter of the queer community in ways we did not see from other politicians,” Renna told The Advocate. “She fought for funding at a time when members didn’t even want to say the word AIDS… and she was one of the sharpest and most powerful critics of those who attack us.” Renna added that Pelosi’s exit also represents “making room for new talent,” and praised her mentorship of younger leaders.
Renna said younger generations may not grasp the significance of Pelosi’s early advocacy. “She was a singular ally for LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV in a way that very, very few were in the ’80s,” Renna said. “She deserves a spot in history for that.”
In her farewell video, Pelosi closed with a message to her home city: “San Francisco, know your power. We have made history. We have made progress. We have always led the way, and now we must continue to do so by remaining full participants in our democracy and fighting for the American ideals we hold dear.”
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