Today Representative Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-CA 18th district) becomes the first woman elected as Speaker of US House of Representatives. She is arguably the most powerful woman in Washington DC; Senator Clinton notwithstanding. It is the beginning of 110th congress, the first time democrats have held the majority in 12 years. However, Speaker Pelosi is no stranger to historical firsts. Speaker Pelosi made history in 2002 when she became the first woman elected House Democratic minority leader. Today is somewhat of a coronation of a life long political journey to the top of congressional politics. Who is Nancy Pelosi? Pelosi was born and raised Nancy D'Alesandro in the Little Italy district of Baltimore, Maryland. Pelosi hails from a family …show more content…
Pelosi did not run for an elective office until she was 47 years old and her oldest child was a senior in high school. Pelosi was a full-time mom; but began volunteering for the Democratic Party, often enlisting the help of the children to stuff envelopes. Today in her address to the house, she thanked her family for allowing her to go, "... from the kitchen to the congress..." In addition to Alexandra and Christine, Pelosi has two other daughters; Nancy Corinne, Jacqueline, a son, Paul and six grandchildren all in attendance at today's ceremony. The Call to Politics Her first run for Congress was in 1987. Running as an environmentalist and champion of AIDS prevention she was elected to California's Eighth District consisting of the City of San Francisco including Golden Gate Park, Fisherman's Wharf and Chinatown. She served as a member of the Appropriations Committee and Select Intelligence Committee but remained a low-key congressional player. The congresswoman finally made a move for a leadership position in the late 1990s, and won a heated contest for House minority whip, becoming the highest-ranking woman in Congressional history. Oddly, enough her opponent was newly elected House Majority leader Congressman Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland's Fifth Congressional