Nancy Pelosi Elected Speaker-Again

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 3: Speaker-designate Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) along with her grandchildren on the floor as members of Congress vote during the first session of the 116th Congress at the U.S. Capitol January 03, 2019 in Washington, DC. Under the cloud of a partial federal government shutdown, Pelosi will reclaim her former title as Speaker of the House and her fellow Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives for the second time in eight years. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The new Congress has convened with the most women ever in the House, but the woman with the gavel has been there before. Nancy Pelosi has been elected speaker, again. She fought back challengers and topped the 216 votes needed to reclaim the post she held from 2007-2011.

BREAKING: Rep. Nancy Pelosi has been elected Speaker of the House https://t.co/co6d7LNnew

— Axios (@axios) January 3, 2019

And for historical perspective, take a look at the difference 30 years makes.

Total women in the U.S. House:

1989:
16 Democrats
13 Republicans

2019:
89 Democrats
13 Republicans

— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) January 3, 2019

And look who is in the freshman class

23 years ago, from a refugee camp in Kenya, my father and I arrived at an airport in Washington DC.

Today, we return to that same airport on the eve of my swearing in as the first Somali-American in Congress. #Hope #Ilhan ?? pic.twitter.com/jVeP3DOipN

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 2, 2019

I feel like women across the country are going to kick ass today–in school, at work, in the gym, in the home and most definitely in the House! January 3rd, baby!

— Patti Solis Doyle (@PattiSolisDoyle) January 3, 2019

As for the outgoing speaking, Paul Ryan leaves Congress with a whopping 12% favorable rating.