Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a San Francisco liberal who seems headed to become the highest ranking woman ever in Congress, will seek to put Democrats back in charge of the House of Representatives.
Pelosi is expected to be elected House Democratic leader on Thursday as her party tries to rebound from its failure in last week's elections to win back the House and end eight years of Republican rule.
Pelosi, the top Democrat to oppose Bush on the Iraqi war-powers resolution, argues her party must more aggressively underscore its differences with Republicans on matters ranging from the economy and health care to foreign policy and education.
She rejects suggestions she may be too liberal to become the first woman to lead her party on Capitol Hill.
"I have received an outpouring of support from my colleagues who want to work together to formulate a strong Democratic message," said the veteran California congresswoman.
Pelosi has public commitments of support from more than half of the House Democrats to replace Richard Gephardt as House Democratic minority leader. Yet she is being challenged by colleagues Harold Ford of Tennessee and Marcy Kaptur of Ohio.
Kaptur made a surprise entry into the race on Wednesday, declaring, "House Democrats need time to talk about where we are, but more importantly, about who we are."
HIGHEST RANKING WOMAN EVER IN CONGRESS
Pelosi became the highest ranking woman ever in Congress earlier this year when she won the post of House Democratic whip, the party's No. 2 position.
Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland is expected to replace Pelosi as whip while Robert Menendez of New Jersey is expected to take over as chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
Menendez would replace Martin Frost of Texas, who after two two-year terms as chairman may not run again. Frost made a bid last week to replace Gephardt as leader, but dropped out and threw his support behind Pelosi, saying she had the votes.
The House Democratic leadership elections comes a day after House Republicans and Senate Republicans and Democrats re-elected their top three leaders -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois, Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi and Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota.
Gephardt announced last week he would not run for re-election as Democratic leader in the 108th Congress that convenes in January. He held the post since 1995. His decision came as he mulled a possible 2004 run for the White House.
His replacement will become the new face of House Democrats as they prepare to challenge President Bush's conservative Republican agenda and look ahead to the next elections in 2004.
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