Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday that she will not seek reelection, bringing to a close a trailblazing career that made her the most

powerful woman in American political history.

In a six-minute video message addressed to “Dear San Francisco,” Pelosi said she would finish her final year in Congress with “a grateful heart,” ending a tenure that began with a 1987 special election and spanned 20 terms.

The 85-year-old Democrat, long a dominant figure in her party and a lightning rod for conservative critics, had faced growing calls to make way for a new generation. State Rep. Scott Wiener has already launched a campaign for her deep-blue district, with more contenders expected.

Pelosi’s mark on Washington is indelible. Over two stints as speaker, she presided over two impeachments of President Donald Trump, shepherded the Affordable Care Act—the largest expansion of health care since Medicare—and helped steer the 2008 financial rescue package that economists credit with averting a deeper recession. She also played a behind-the-scenes role this year in pressuring President Joe Biden to abandon his reelection bid.

In her announcement, Pelosi highlighted her success in directing “billions of dollars” in federal funding to California for transportation, environmental projects and other initiatives.

The congresswoman did not offer a specific reason for her decision to retire. As recently as last week, she dismissed the idea that she might struggle to win another term. “I have no doubt that if I decided to run, I would win,” she told CNN. “That isn’t arrogance; it’s competence.”

Pelosi leaves office as the first woman to wield the speaker’s gavel—a milestone in a career defined by partisan battles, landmark legislation and an enduring influence on the direction of the Democratic Party. Photo by US Department of Labor, Wikimedia commons.