In Georgia, Republicans celebrate while Dems seek upsides

The frustrated Democrats met in Rice's office a day earlier to discuss their options as they face long odds of knocking out the woman who has led the Democratic caucus for almost 15 years from minority to majority and back, raised tens of millions of dollars and has had multiple legislative successes.

The response from some: It better be.

Around the same time House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was declaring she had broad support to remain the top Democratic leader and jabbing back at her critics, a group of her colleagues met privately to brainstorm on whether there was a way to force her out.

The apparent effectiveness of that messaging suggested to some that the 77-year-old Californian could be a liability for Democrats as they aim to regain their majority. Pelosi was the focus of negative advertising casting her as a San Francisco liberal and linking her to the Democratic candidate. "And you can't get away from the fact that in Georgia this was seen as a test of whether the resistance by Democrats was going to overpower the Republicans or whether the Trump vote would hold".

"I'd like to keep her right where she is, because our record is extraordinary against her", Trump said in a Fox News interview.

'Do I think it's fair that the Republican playbook over the last four election cycles has been attacking Nancy Pelosi and demonizing her?' Rice began.

In over a decade leading House Democrats, into the majority and out again, Pelosi has beaten back all comers, including last fall when Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan of OH ran against her. Ryan fell well short but garnered dozens of votes, enough to underscore dissatisfaction with Pelosi and with her aging leadership team that has left promising young Democrats with few places to rise. Trump wrote, referring to Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

"Unfortunately a loss for us, but not good news for them", Pelosi told the rank-and-file in a closed door meeting Wednesday morning, according to Democrats present. "It's time for some change".

Moulton is one of the House Democrats who has been most vocal in calling for a new generation of leadership.

Ryan made it clear after his failed bid to oust Pelosi in the fall that he wasn't planning to challenge her again and was just supporting the effort. When Democrats took control of the House in 2007, Pelosi became the first - and so far only - woman Speaker of the House. "One of the disappointing things from the last couple days is that that approach has a little bit of punch to it, it still moves voters". And she remains the party's most prodigious fundraiser, bringing in $567.9 million for the party since she joined leadership in 2002.

Pelosi has led the Democratic Party since 2003, and replacing her wouldn't be easy. Even in the minority, the votes she commands are often needed to pass spending bills or other must-pass legislation that House conservatives disdain, and GOP speakers have had to come to her repeatedly hat in hand.

And I'm mad at Trump, but I'm madder at the Democrats for letting him get in. When Democrats have no choice but to rely on a banjo-playing, cowboy hat-wearing political neophyte to run a statewide race in Montana, it's a safe assumption that there are some recruiting issues that run deeper than House leadership.

"I think you'd have to be an idiot to think we could win the House with Pelosi at the top", Democrat Rep. Filemon Vela of Texas told Politico.

"It's fair to say nearly every cent has been raised through the prism of, 'we need to hold the Republican majority to prevent Nancy Pelosi from passing her far-left agenda, '" said Jesse Hunt, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee - the House GOP's campaign arm.

Democrats may now have a similar conversation about Ossoff and whether - if he wants to run again - his is the best message. "It's not enough to dislike Trump".