House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that she does not have plans to step away from being a member of Congress, according to an interview on ABC News with the Democratic leader.
Amid predictions of an electoral “red wave,” and the attack on Pelosi’s husband at their home in San Francisco, speculation built that the 82-year-old lawmaker who has served in Congress since 1987 might consider retiring.
But she told interviewer George Stephanopoulos, “I don’t have any plans to step away from Congress.”
However, she said she hasn’t decided whether to seek a leadership position in the next Congress, which could have a thin Republican majority.
“My decision will then be rooted in the wishes of my family and the wishes of my caucus. But none of it will be very much considered until we see the outcome,” she said during a second interview Sunday on CNN.
It could take several days or more before the outcome of enough House races is known to determine which party will control the 435-seat chamber.
Returns were still flowing in for several races, including many in liberal-leaning California. As of late on Saturday, Republicans had won 211 seats, with 218 needed for a majority, ahead of the Democrats with 205.
“It’s very close,” Pelosi told Stephanopoulos. “We haven’t given up.”
Reuters contributed to this article.