Pelosi starts bid for speakership with kind words from Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans vilified Nancy Pelosi on the campaign trail, but now she’s emerging as President Trump’s top choice to become speaker of the House.

Trump called Pelosi a “smart woman” Wednesday and someone with whom he hoped to engage in “beautiful bipartisanship.”

At the Capitol, the California Democrat was asked if she was confident she would become speaker when the new Congress convenes in January. She said simply: “Yes, I am.”

But Pelosi’s ascent to the speaker’s office isn’t yet certain.

Many younger House Democrats, including some of those who were just elected in the midterm elections, are saying they’ll vote against her.

The speaker’s election is the first act of the new Congress, and Pelosi is confident she’ll have the votes.