Nancy Pelosi re-elected as Speaker of US House of Representatives

Washington DC: Veteran Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi has been narrowly re-elected as the Speaker of the US House of Representatives for a fourth time, as a new Congress took office amidst raging Coronavirus crisis and political uncertainty.

Pelosi, 80, secured 216 votes in a tight contest against Republican Kevin McCarthy, who got support from 209 Congressmen, after Democrats lost 11 seats in the November elections to command a narrower 222-212 majority. According to the House Clerk, a total of 427 votes were cast. One vote went to Senator Tammy Duckworth and one to Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. "I am honored to be nominated by my colleagues to serve as the Speaker of the House for the 117th Congress," Pelosi said in a tweet on Sunday.

Notably, six Democratic lawmakers did not vote for Pelosi, while all the 209 Republicans stood by McCarthy, who is now the House Minority Leader. The Democratic Party has 222 seats in the House. Following the election of the House Speaker, Pelosi administered the oath to the rest of the members of the House starting with the first-time members elect. The US House of Representatives has a strength of 435 voting members and six non-voting members.

"Our work for the people continues, even in the face of this unprecedented national crisis. Tune in as I swear in Members of the 117th Congress. As we are sworn in today, we accept a responsibility as daunting and demanding as any that previous generations of leadership have faced. Our most urgent priority will continue to be defeating the Coronavirus - and defeat it, we will!" Pelosi said.