Pelosi confident Democrats will keep control in 2020, wants diverse makeup in the House
Washington — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she's "confident" that Democrats will retain control of the House of Representatives in the upcoming 2020 election, adding that her caucus, in the midst of the contentious impeachment inquiry into President Trump, is not taking "anything for granted" this election cycle.
"We're one year before the election and we see the opposition and we don't take anything for granted, but we think we can maintain our majority and grow it and help elect the Senate and a Democratic president of the United States," Pelosi told "Face the Nation" in a wide-ranging interview.
Asked if the impeachment probe could disrupt her aspirations for next year, Pelosi said the timing of the impeachment inquiry isn't dictated by the political calendar.
"It's not about politics. That's about the Constitution of the United States. So it not for one second entered into our decision about whether to impeach or not. That was based on if we decide to go that route, it will be decided on the facts, the truth and the Constitution," she said.
With a decisive victory in 2018, Democrats regained the majority from Republicans after eight years out of power. The victory included a record number of female members elected to the House — more than 100 in all.
Pelosi told CBS News it's important for the House to continue to have a diverse makeup of its members, something she said is a focus of hers looking ahead to 2020.
"We certainly should have diversity. Diversity of geography, diversity of gender, diversity of ethnicity, a reflection of the Democratic Party. When I'm focused on the fact that 60% of my caucus are women, people of color or LGBTQ. Also that of the 106 women in the Congress, 91 are Democrats," Pelosi said.
As for who Democrats nominate to run against the president in 2020, the speaker said that decision will be up to the Democratic voters.
"Across the country, there is a general feeling that we should have a woman, maybe two women on the ticket," Pelosi said. "I think it's up to the American people to decide who should be on the ticket."