The electoral history of Nancy Pelosi spans more than three decades, from the mid-1980s to the present. A member of the Democratic Party in the United States, Nancy Pelosi was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a 1987 special election after the death of Congresswoman Sala Burton that February. In the Democratic primary, Pelosi defeated San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt, considered the more progressive candidate, with 36 percent of the vote to his 32 percent.[1] In the subsequent runoff, she defeated Republican Harriet Ross, her closest competitor, by more than a 2–1 margin.[2]
Now in her 18th two-year term, Pelosi has enjoyed overwhelming voter support throughout her congressional career. Since 2013, she has represented California's 12th congressional district, which consists of four-fifths of the city and county of San Francisco. She initially represented the 5th district (1987–1993), and then, when district boundaries were redrawn after the 1990 Census, the 8th district (1993–2013). She served as the House Democratic Party leader from 2003 to 2023, and sought election to the office of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives every two years during that time, of which four campaigns were successful.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi | 38,927 | 36.1 | |
Democratic | Harry Britt | 35,008 | 32.5 | |
Democratic | William Maher | 15,355 | 14.2 | |
Democratic | Doris M. Ward | 6,498 | 6.0 | |
Republican | Harriet Ross | 3,016 | 2.8 | |
Democratic | Carol Ruth Silver | 2,896 | 2.7 | |
Republican | Jeff Smith | 1,755 | 1.6 | |
Republican | Tom Spinosa | 1,712 | 1.6 | |
Republican | Mike Garza | 1,262 | 1.2 | |
independent (politician) | Karen Edwards | 447 | 0.4 | |
Libertarian | Sam Grove | 408 | 0.4 | |
Peace and Freedom | Theodore "Ted" Zuur | 187 | 0.2 | |
independent (politician) | Catherine P. Sedwick | 164 | 0.2 | |
Democratic | Brian Lantz | 141 | 0.1 | |
Total votes | 107,776 | 100 | ||
Runoff election | ||||
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi | 46,428 | 63.3 | |
Republican | Harriet Ross | 22,478 | 30.7 | |
independent (politician) | Karen Edwards | 1,602 | 2.2 | |
Peace and Freedom | Theodore "Ted" Zuur | 1,105 | 1.5 | |
Libertarian | Sam Grove | 1,007 | 1.4 | |
independent (politician) | Catherine P. Sedwick | 659 | 0.9 | |
Total votes | 73,279 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 133,530 | 76.4 | |
Republican | Bruce Michael O'Neill | 33,692 | 19.3 | |
Peace and Freedom | Theodore "Ted" Zuur | 3,975 | 2.3 | |
Libertarian | Sam Grove | 3,561 | 2.0 | |
Total votes | 174,758 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 120,633 | 77.2 | |
Republican | Alan Nichols | 35,671 | 22.8 | |
Total votes | 156,304 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 191,906 | 82.5 | |
Republican | Marc Wolin | 25,693 | 11.0 | |
Peace and Freedom | Cesar G. Cadabes | 7,572 | 3.3 | |
Libertarian | James R. Elwood | 7,511 | 3.2 | |
No party | (write-in) | 9 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 232,691 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 66,247 | 92.4 | |
Democratic | Robert Ingraham | 5,476 | 7.6 | |
Total votes | 71,723 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 137,642 | 81.8 | |
Republican | Elsa C. Cheung | 30,528 | 18.2 | |
No party | (write-in) | 1 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 168,171 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 175,216 | 84.3 | |
Republican | Justin Raimondo | 25,739 | 12.4 | |
Natural Law | David Smithstein | 6,783 | 3.3 | |
Total votes | 207,738 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 148,027 | 85.8 | |
Republican | David J. Martz | 20,781 | 12.1 | |
Natural Law | David Smithstein | 3,654 | 2.1 | |
Total votes | 172,462 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 181,847 | 84.5 | |
Republican | Adam Sparks | 25,298 | 11.7 | |
Libertarian | Erik Bauman | 5,645 | 2.6 | |
Natural Law | David Smithstein | 2,638 | 1.2 | |
Total votes | 215,428 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 65,949 | 93.1 | |
Democratic | Robert Ingraham | 4,898 | 6.9 | |
Total votes | 70,847 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 127,684 | 79.6 | |
Republican | G. Michael German | 20,063 | 12.6 | |
Green | Jay Pond | 10,033 | 6.2 | |
Libertarian | Ira Spivack | 2,659 | 1.6 | |
independent (politician) | Deborah Liatos | 2 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 160,441 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 224,017 | 83.0 | |
Republican | Jennifer Depalma | 31,074 | 11.5 | |
Peace and Freedom | Leilani Dowell | 9,527 | 3.5 | |
independent (politician) | Terry Baum | 5,446 | 2.0 | |
Total votes | 270,064 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 148,435 | 80.4 | |
Republican | Mike DeNunzio | 19,800 | 10.8 | |
Green | Krissy Keefer | 13,653 | 7.4 | |
Libertarian | Philip Zimt Berg | 2,751 | 1.4 | |
Total votes | 184,639 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 83,510 | 89.2 | |
Democratic | Shirley Golub | 10,105 | 10.8 | |
Total votes | 93,615 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 204,996 | 71.9 | |
independent (politician) | Cindy Sheehan | 46,118 | 16.2 | |
Republican | Dana Walsh | 27,614 | 9.7 | |
Libertarian | Philip Z. Berg | 6,504 | 2.2 | |
independent (politician) | Lea Sherman | 11 | 0.0 | |
independent (politician) | Michelle Wong Clay | 4 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 285,247 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 167,957 | 80.1 | |
Republican | John Dennis | 31,711 | 15.2 | |
Peace and Freedom | Gloria La Riva | 5,161 | 2.4 | |
Libertarian | Philip Zimt Berg | 4,843 | 2.3 | |
Total votes | 209,672 | 100 |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 89,446 | 74.9 | |
Republican | John Dennis | 16,206 | 13.6 | |
Green | Barry Hermanson | 6,398 | 5.4 | |
Democratic | David Peterson | 3,756 | 3.1 | |
Democratic | Summer Shields | 2,146 | 1.8 | |
Democratic | Americo Arturo Diaz | 1,499 | 1.3 | |
Total votes | 119,451 | 100 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 253,709 | 85.1 | |
Republican | John Dennis | 44,478 | 14.9 | |
Total votes | 298,181 | 100 |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 79,816 | 73.6 | |
Republican | John Dennis | 12,922 | 11.9 | |
Green | Barry Hermanson | 6,156 | 5.7 | |
Democratic | David Peterson | 3,774 | 3.5 | |
Peace and Freedom | Frank Lara | 2,107 | 1.9 | |
Democratic | Michael Steger | 1,514 | 1.4 | |
No party preference | A.J. "Desmond" Thorsson | 1,270 | 1.2 | |
No party preference | James Welles | 879 | 0.8 | |
Total votes | 108,438 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 160,067 | 83.3 | |
Republican | John Dennis | 32,197 | 16.7 | |
Total votes | 192,264 | 100.0 |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 169,537 | 78.1 | |
No party preference | Preston Picus | 16,633 | 7.7 | |
Republican | Bob Miller | 16,583 | 7.6 | |
Green | Barry Hermanson | 14,289 | 6.6 | |
Total votes | 217,042 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 274,035 | 80.9 | |
No party preference | Preston Picus | 64,810 | 19.1 | |
Total votes | 338,845 | 100.0 |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 141,365 | 68.5 | |
Republican | Lisa Remmer | 18,771 | 9.1 | |
Democratic | Shahid Buttar | 17,597 | 8.5 | |
Democratic | Stephen Jaffe | 12,114 | 5.9 | |
Democratic | Ryan A. Khojasteh | 9,498 | 4.6 | |
Green | Barry Hermanson | 4,217 | 2.0 | |
No party preference | Michael Goldstein | 2,820 | 1.4 | |
Total votes | 206,382 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 275,292 | 86.8 | |
Republican | Lisa Remmer | 41,780 | 13.2 | |
Total votes | 317,072 | 100.0 |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 89,460 | 72.5 | |
Democratic | Shahid Buttar | 15,645 | 12.7 | |
Republican | John Dennis | 11,387 | 9.2 | |
Republican | Deanna Lorraine | 2,653 | 2.1 | |
Democratic | Tom Gallagher | 2,598 | 2.1 | |
Democratic | Agatha Bacelar | 1,679 | 1.4 | |
Total votes | 123,422 | 100 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* | 281,776 | 77.6 | |
Democratic | Shahid Buttar | 81,174 | 22.4 | |
Total votes | 362,950 | 100 |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (incumbent) | 133,798 | 71.7 | |
Republican | John Dennis | 20,054 | 10.7 | |
Democratic | Shahid Buttar | 19,471 | 10.4 | |
Republican | Eve Del Castello | 7,319 | 3.9 | |
Democratic | Jeffrey Phillips | 3,595 | 1.9 | |
Democratic | Bianca Von Krieg | 2,499 | 1.3 | |
Total votes | 186,736 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (incumbent) | 220,848 | 84.0 | |
Republican | John Dennis | 42,217 | 16.0 | |
Total votes | 263,065 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Dennis Hastert* (IL 14) | 228 | 52.53 | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (CA 8) | 201 | 46.31 | |
Democratic | John Murtha (PA 12) | 1 | 0.23 | |
— | Present | 4 | 0.93 | |
Total votes | 434 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 218 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Dennis Hastert* (IL 14) | 226 | 52.92 | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (CA 8) | 199 | 46.60 | |
Democratic | John Murtha (PA 12) | 1 | 0.24 | |
— | Present | 1 | 0.24 | |
Total votes | 427 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 214 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (CA 8) | 233 | 53.56 | |
Republican | John Boehner (OH 8) | 202 | 46.44 | |
Total votes | 435 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 218 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* (CA 8) | 255 | 59.44 | |
Republican | John Boehner (OH 8) | 174 | 40.56 | |
Total votes | 429 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 215 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John Boehner (OH 8) | 241 | 55.88 | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* (CA 8) | 173 | 39.96 | |
Democratic | Heath Shuler (NC 11) | 11 | 2.53 | |
Democratic | John Lewis (GA 5) | 2 | 0.48 | |
Democratic | Dennis Cardoza (CA 18) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | Jim Costa (CA 20) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | Jim Cooper (TN 5) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | Steny Hoyer (MD 5) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | Marcy Kaptur (OH 9) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Total votes | 432 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 217 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John Boehner* (OH 8) | 220 | 51.64 | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (CA 12) | 192 | 45.04 | |
Republican | Eric Cantor (VA 7) | 3 | 0.70 | |
Democratic | Jim Cooper (TN 5) | 2 | 0.47 | |
Republican | Allen West[a] | 2 | 0.47 | |
Republican | Justin Amash (MI 3) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Democratic | John Dingell (MI 12) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Republican | Jim Jordan (OH 4) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Republican | Raúl Labrador (ID 1) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Democratic | John Lewis (GA 5) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Republican | Colin Powell[a] | 1 | 0.24 | |
Republican | David Walker[a] | 1 | 0.24 | |
Total votes | 426 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 214 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John Boehner* (OH 8) | 216[b] | 52.95 | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (CA 12) | 164 | 40.20 | |
Republican | Dan Webster (FL 10) | 12 | 2.95 | |
Republican | Louie Gohmert (TX 1) | 3 | 0.74 | |
Republican | Ted Yoho (FL 3) | 2 | 2.50 | |
Republican | Jim Jordan (OH 4) | 2 | 0.50 | |
Republican | Jeff Duncan (SC 3) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Republican | Rand Paul[a] | 1 | 0.24 | |
Republican | Colin Powell[a] | 1 | 0.24 | |
Republican | Trey Gowdy (SC 4) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Republican | Kevin McCarthy (CA 23) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Democratic | Jim Cooper (TN 5) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Democratic | Peter DeFazio (OR 4) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Republican | Jeff Sessions[a] | 1 | 0.24 | |
Democratic | John Lewis (GA 5) | 1 | 0.24 | |
Total votes | 408 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 205 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Ryan (WI 1) | 236 | 54.63 | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (CA 12) | 184 | 42.60 | |
Republican | Dan Webster (FL 10) | 9 | 2.08 | |
Democratic | Jim Cooper (TN 5) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | John Lewis (GA 5) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Republican | Colin Powell[a] | 1 | 0.23 | |
Total votes | 432 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 217 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Ryan* (WI 1) | 239 | 55.19 | |
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (CA 12) | 189 | 43.65 | |
Democratic | Tim Ryan (OH 13) | 2 | 0.47 | |
Democratic | Jim Cooper (TN 5) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | John Lewis (GA 5) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Republican | Dan Webster (FL 10) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Total votes | 433 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 217 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi (CA 12) | 220 | 51.17 | |
Republican | Kevin McCarthy (CA 23) | 192 | 44.66 | |
Republican | Jim Jordan (OH 4) | 5 | 1.16 | |
Democratic | Cheri Bustos (IL 17) | 4 | 0.93 | |
Democratic | Tammy Duckworth[a] | 2 | 0.47 | |
Democratic | Stacey Abrams[a] | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | Joe Biden[a] | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | Marcia Fudge (OH 11) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | Joe Kennedy III (MA 4) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | John Lewis (GA 5) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Republican | Thomas Massie (KY 4) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Democratic | Stephanie Murphy (FL 7) | 1 | 0.23 | |
Total votes | 430 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 216 | >50 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Nancy Pelosi* (CA 12) | 216[b] | 50.2% | |
Republican | Kevin McCarthy (CA 23) | 209 | 48.6% | |
Democratic | Tammy Duckworth[a] | 1 | 0.2% | |
Democratic | Hakeem Jeffries (NY 8) | 1 | 0.2% | |
Total votes | 427 | 100 | ||
Votes necessary | 214 | >50 |