Relationship Between Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Representative Steny Hoyer

By: Miriam Edelman

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD) have been both allies and rivals in the House of Representatives. These Members, with strong ties to Maryland, were House Democrats’ top leaders for two decades. This piece follows up on DCNOW’s blog’s piece, entitled “DCNOW Thanks National Legend, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.”

Before Congress

Hoyer and Pelosi were born within a year of each other, Hoyer in June 1939 and Pelosi in March 1940. Both spent at least some of their childhoods in Maryland. In 1963, they interned for Senator Daniel Brewster (D-MD). While Pelosi was a receptionist, Hoyer assisted with multiple projects. Pelosi moved from D.C. to begin life with her husband Paul Pelosi. In contrast, Hoyer worked for Brewster until 1966.

Congress

Both among the current longest-serving Representatives, Hoyer and Pelosi were elected to the House of Representatives in special elections in the 1980s. Hoyer joined Congress in May 1981, and six years later, in June 1987, Pelosi became a Representative. Later, they served together on the House Appropriations Committee.

Hoyer and Pelosi both strove to be in House leadership. In 1989, Hoyer was elected Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, the fourth-highest position in leadership, and served in the role during the 101^st, 102^nd, and 103^rd Congresses. In 1991, Hoyer lost to Representative David Bonior (D-MI) in an election to be Minority Whip, the third-highest position.

In 2001, Hoyer and Pelosi ran against each other to be Minority Whip, then the second-highest position, as the Democrats were in the minority in the House. The House Whip position opened up because Bonier (D-MI) was leaving Congress to run for Governor. While Hoyer had been in House leadership, Pelosi portrayed herself as an outsider. As the Washington Post reported, Pelosi “argued her election and emphasis on rank-and-file members would convey a message of diversity to voters.” Meanwhile, Hoyer emphasized that as a moderate, he could assist Democrats in winning swing districts. He was worried that since Pelosi was a Democrat from San Francisco, she would have challenges appealing to moderate and rural voters.

House Democrats elected Pelosi to become the first female House Whip in 2001, defeating Hoyer in a 118-95 vote. Pelosi said:

“I accept this responsibility as House Democratic whip, having a long campaign with my good friend Steny Hoyer, who has very graciously offered me his support and I am grateful for that.”

“I respect him, and I look forward to working with him.”

Hoyer initially was gracious: “Nancy Pelosi and I have known each other for four decades. Her family is one of the most extraordinary families in the state of Maryland.” He had referred to her being part of the D'Alesandro family. Her father had been a leader in Maryland. However, on the next day, he said, “if she hadn't been a woman or from California, I think we would have been OK.” He added, “Gender and geography in this case were overwhelming. C'est la guerre.” Pelosi commented, “they never said that to me. I thought [the campaign] was [conducted] with great dignity.”

In 2003, Pelosi became the first female House Minority Leader and the first female leader of a political party in Congress. Hoyer began serving as Pelosi’s #2 in 2003, when he became House Minority Whip. He was Pelosi’s #2 until 2023, when he and Pelosi exited leadership together.

After the Democrats gained control of the House after the 2006 midterm elections, Pelosi won her party’s Speaker vote unanimously. Although Hoyer had been Pelosi’s second-in-command for years, Pelosi wanted Representative John Murtha to be House Majority Leader in 2007. As Murtha managed Pelosi’s 2001 bid to be Minority Whip, Pelosi signaled she valued loyalty. Pelosi allies said that Pelosi got involved in the Minority Leader race at the request of Murtha. Hoyer “wasn’t happy” with Pelosi’s support of Murtha. In November 2006, Hoyer defeated Murtha in a 149-86 secret vote. Democrats liked the combination of liberal Pelosi and moderate Hoyer and did not think there was a reason to make a major change. Hoyer again praised Pelosi in public:

“I want to say how enthusiastic I am about the opportunity to work with Speaker-Elect Pelosi. She and I have been friends for a long time -- I won't mention the number of years, but for a very long time -- and we have worked very closely together over the last four years to create the most unified and focused caucus in the last half a century.”

Hoyer and Pelosi seemed to have put their differences aside. In 2007, Hoyer remarked, “I can't be successful without Nancy and I like to think Nancy can't be as successful without me.” In 2008, Hoyer said, “Nancy and I are professional in the sense that we understand essentially that if we're not together neither one of us is going to be successful and our caucus is not going to be successful.” Yet, after the Democrats lost their House majority in 2010, Hoyer wanted to lead the Democrats, but Pelosi kept control.

In recent years, Hoyer talked about his relationship with Pelosi. He said, “I’m not Nancy’s lieutenant,” and “I’m Nancy’s partner.” He also remarked, “I think Nancy is the best speaker we’ve had, so I was the No. 2.”

After Democrats lost their House majority in late 2022, Pelosi and then Hoyer announced their departures from leadership. Pelosi had said, “With great confidence in our caucus, I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress. For me the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect.” Hoyer, who had thought about running for the House Democrats’ top role when Pelosi left her role and who was viewed to be “a likely successor” to Pelosi, ended up endorsing Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), to replace Pelosi. In a statement, Hoyer echoed Pelosi, “Now is the time for a new generation of leaders.” Hoyer said he did not think about becoming Minority Whip again. He said, “The minority whip is a very nice office, it’s a very nice title, but all you’re doing is what the majority leader tells you.”

Pelosi’s and Hoyer’s dual announcements allowed younger Members to rise into top leadership roles in the House. Pelosi received many more tributes than Hoyer did. The New York Times reported:

“It was, in some ways, a fitting finale for Mr. Hoyer, whose ambitions over two decades have sometimes been squeezed by Ms. Pelosi, a onetime rival for power whose carefully choreographed finale effectively signaled the end of the road for her longtime second-in-command.”

The New York Times reported in late 2022, “Mr. Hoyer, 83, the longest-serving House Democrat, has for decades operated in Ms. Pelosi’s shadow, his frustrated aspirations to become speaker at times barely concealed.”

After leaving leadership, Pelosi and Hoyer still collaborated with one another. In September 2025, Pelosi spoke at Hoyer’s  23rd annual Women’s Equality Day Luncheon. Women’s Equality Day commemorates the 19^th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

After Pelosi recently announced her retirement from Congress, Hoyer said in a statement:

“Nancy may be the representative of San Francisco, but she will always be a daughter of Baltimore. Like her father, former mayor of Baltimore and representative of Maryland's Third District Thomas D’Alesandro, Nancy has a political mind of the highest caliber. That was apparent throughout the decades she and I served as the top two leaders of our House Democratic Caucus. We worked on some of the most important legislation in recent memory – from the Affordable Care Act to the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell to the landmark Investing in America bills of the 117th Congress. I have seen her persuade. I have seen her spar. And I have seen her build consensus.”

“Nancy will go down in history not only as America's first female Speaker but as one of its most effective Speakers. She has certainly earned her spot among Henry Clay, Sam Rayburn, and the rest of the pantheon of gifted legislators who have led the House. Of course, none of them accomplished what they did with a House Majority as razor thin as Nancy's. I always say that I've served with two historic figures: my dear friend and brother John Lewis and Nancy Pelosi.”

Final Thoughts

Pelosi and Hoyer co-led the House for decades. They can show how elected officials of different political ideologies, once rivals, can collaborate well together. They used their differences to lead their caucus effectively.