House Democrats were scheduled to have already picked the person who will head the party in the next Congress. That person currently is House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who remains the leading candidate. However, last week’s stunning Republican upset compelled Pelosi, at rattled members’ request, to postpone the vote until after Thanksgiving. She may or may not be regretting that decision today.

She certainly has reason for unease. Pelosi and Hillary Clinton are two peas in a pod, and Clinton’s defeat on Nov. 8 has forced younger Democrats to reconsider their protecting stale and corrupt leadership. In response, this week a colleague thirty-some years her junior tossed his name into the race.

The Washington Post reports, “Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) launched a long-shot challenge to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s reign atop the Democratic caucus, sending a letter to lawmakers Thursday telling them that last week’s elections were a call to ‘bring a new voice into leadership.’”

Dethroning Pelosi will be difficult. In fact, it’s unlikely. Nevertheless, all this surely comes as a shock to Pelosi, who until last week had aspirations of regaining her former role as House speaker. Now it’s looking somewhat questionable as to whether she will remain House minority leader. Election 2016 turned into something Democrats never imagined possible.