Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is facing new political and personal challenges. As she recovers from hip replacement surgery, she’s also contending with a primary challenge from Saikat Chakrabarti, a progressive activist and former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Chakrabarti criticizes Pelosi for resisting left-leaning reforms and argues the Democratic Party needs “real solutions” aligned with its progressive base. Meanwhile, Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, is under renewed scrutiny over stock trades, reigniting bipartisan calls for a congressional stock trading ban.
Pelosi, long a powerful force in the party, now faces growing pressure from within her own ranks as progressives push for change. The primary challenge reflects a broader generational and ideological shift within the Democratic Party’s base.