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 Republicans2019:
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.
Paul Ryan leaves office with a 12% favorable rating. https://t.co/MHdynpQTYC pic.twitter.com/ym1ZrMtfj5
— Drew Linzer (@DrewLinzer) January 3, 2019