Pelosi marks milestone as 100 Democratic women win House seats
The former speaker said the party has transformed its representation since she first entered Congress in 1987.
By Samuel Hayes ·
Nancy Pelosi declared that more than 100 Democratic women have secured seats in the U.S. House of Representatives following the midterm elections. The former speaker used the result to mark a shift in the party's composition since she first took office nearly four decades ago.
In a post on her official X account, Pelosi noted that only 12 Democratic women served in Congress when she assumed her role as a representative in 1987. She stated that increasing that number became a core political mission for the party.
"When I came to Congress in 1987, there were only 12 women Democrats. We made it our mission: to change it," she wrote.
Pelosi expressed pride in the election outcome, which she described as a source of joy. "Today we celebrate the election of more than 100 Democratic women to the House, a tremendous joy and a source of pride," the post read.
The Center for American Women and Policy at Rutgers University, known as CAWP, confirmed the historic advance. The organization reported that at least 100 Democratic women will hold seats in the next Congress, which begins in January 2027. This figure represents a record for the party.
According to CAWP data, at least 116 women will serve in the House in 2027. Of that total, 100 will be Democrats and 16 will be Republicans. The final count may fluctuate because dozens of legislative races were still undecided as of the morning of November 4.
Pelosi was first elected in a special election on June 2, 1987, during the 100th Congress. She later made history in January 2007 by becoming the first woman to serve as speaker of the House. She held the position again from 2019 to 2023. Her message concluded with the line: "When women succeed, America succeeds!"
