BREAKING: Well Look What Democrats Just Voted Against Nancy Pelosi

Here’s more on this story via Politico: Nancy Pelosi was elected speaker for the 116th Congress on Thursday, cementing her legacy and returning the longtime Democratic leader to the post she first held eight years ago.

Pelosi, the first and only woman to ever wield the speaker’s gavel, was elected with 220 votes. 15 Democrats did not vote for her on the floor.

Pelosi was celebrated in the leadup to the vote, which made her the most prominent Democratic foil to President Donald Trump at a time when the new House majority is eager to take on the president.

“Two months ago, the American people spoke, and demanded a new dawn,” Pelosi said in a speech after winning the gavel. “I am particularly proud to be the woman speaker of the House of this Congress, which marks 100 years of women winning the right to vote.”

who are the Democrats who refused to give her the gavel?

Here’s a list of all the defectors via The Hill: The defectors, nearly all freshman lawmakers, didn’t all cast their votes for a single alternative candidate.

Three Democrats, Rep. Jim Cooper (Tenn.) and freshman lawmakers Elissa Slotkin (Mich.) and Jeff Van Drew (N.J.), voted “present,” which allowed them to avoid casting a vote in favor of Pelosi without endorsing an actual alternative. …

But a handful of freshman Democrats in swing districts who promised to oppose Pelosi on the campaign trail followed through on Thursday.

Lawmakers can vote for anyone as Speaker, which left defectors room to cast their votes for people outside of Congress.

Incoming freshman Anthony Brindisi (D-N.Y.) cast a vote for former Vice President Joe Biden. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), a top Pelosi critic, cast a vote for Stacey Abrams, who lost her competitive race for Georgia governor in November.

Other defectors voted for current members of Congress.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), an Iraq War veteran, drew two votes from freshman lawmakers Jason Crow (D-Colo.) and Max Rose (D-N.Y.).

The incoming chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rep. Cheri Bustos (Ill.), drew votes from freshman lawmakers Joe Cunningham (S.C.), Jared Golden (Maine), Mikie Sherrill (N.J.) and Abigail Spanberger (Va.).

Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) voted for Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), a former Congressional Black Caucus chairwoman who contemplated challenging Pelosi for Speaker. But Fudge decided against a bid and ultimately voted for Pelosi on Thursday. …

Here is the complete list of the 15 Democratic defectors:

Anthony Brindisi (N.Y.): former Vice President Joe BidenJim Cooper (Tenn.): “present” Jason Crow (Colo.): Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.)Joe Cunningham (S.C.): Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.)Jared Golden (Maine): BustosRon Kind (Wis.): Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.)Conor Lamb (Pa.): Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.)Ben McAdams (Utah): Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.)Kathleen Rice (N.Y.): Democratic Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey AbramsMax Rose (N.Y.): Duckworth Kurt Schrader (Ore.): Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio)Mikie Sherrill (N.J.): BustosAbigail Spanberger (Va.): BustosElissa Slotkin (Mich.) “present”Jeff Van Drew (N.J.): “present”

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