CNN
—
The top three House Democrats stepping down as party leaders did not coordinate their decision to do so, outgoing Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Sunday, adding that “the timing was right.”
“Did you hear I was 83?” Hoyer quipped about his age in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash’s “State of the Union.”
Hoyer’s resignation as party leader, Nancy Pelosi and Jim Cliburn, 82, as Speaker of the House and Jim Cliburn, 82, represent a generational change of Democrats in the House.
“I think we’ve all been around for a while and have pretty much a sense of the timing of the decision, and I think all three of us felt that now was the time,” said Heuer Bash. told to
Hoyer said the trio has led the House Democratic Caucus for “a long time.”
“In that capacity, I think each of us made an individual decision. The timing was right,” he said.
House Democrats elected the current Caucus chairman, Hakeem Jeffries, 52, of New York, to replace Pelosi. Massachusetts Rep. Catherine Clarke, 59, serves as a minority whip, while California Rep. Peter Aguilar, 43, is younger than his predecessor.
But those in their 80s are expected to maintain their presence in the upcoming Congress. Cliburn takes a slightly demoted leadership role as deputy leader (4th in the party), while Pelosi was recently named “honorary chairman.” Mr. Hoyer said Sunday that he will continue to advise the new Democratic leaders.
“Mr. Jeffries and I have spoken. I think he wants me to continue to give advice and advice and be involved in decision-making – although not the majority leader.
Heuer praised two men who looked back on their coaching careers and said they would be remembered as giants in history. Civil rights icon and longtime congressman John Lewis and Pelosi.
“I think we have a very respectful relationship,” Hoyer said of Pelosi, who has worked with him for years. You know, I love Nancy and I have a lot of respect for her.She’s an extraordinary human being.She’s indomitable.She has an extraordinary energy.”
“And she’s probably the most effective political leader I’ve worked with in years.”
Recalling that he interned with Baltimore-born Pelosi in Maryland Rep. Daniel Brewster’s office in the 1960s, Hoyer told Bash:
“Nancy sat in the front office as a receptionist. We were there together.. After about 40 years, we were the voices and the leaders of the majority,” he said.
However, the two lawmakers didn’t always have a simple relationship.
Hoyer said he was “clearly disappointed” when Pelosi backed Pennsylvania Rep. John Martha to become the whip of the majority in 2006, but Hoyer said that the race was “pretty easy.” ni won.
A few years ago, in 2001, Pelosi defeated Hoyer to become the Democratic whip in the House of Representatives.
When asked if he would have wanted to be a speaker if Pelosi hadn’t been in the picture, Hoyer replied: Which politician doesn’t want to be Speaker of the House? Of course he does. ”
“But frankly, as I said to one reporter, if I could have done a better job than Nancy, I don’t think I could have done a better job than Nancy,” he told Bash. .
Hoyer said he has not ruled out running for Congress in 2024. maybe.