In a closed-door secret-ballot vote, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) overcame challenger Tim Ryan (D-OH) to secure an eighth consecutive term as leader of the House Democratic Caucus. Pelosi has ruled the Democrats like Boss Tweed since 2002, rewarding loyalists with committee assignments and campaign funds, which enables her to secure strong support among fellow Democrats. Her counterpart in the Senate, Harry Reid (D-NV), has described her as ruling with an “iron fist.” Maybe that was how he injured his eye…

Pelosi led the Democrats into the majority in 2006 amidst displeasure with Republicans, but in four short (or should we say long) years turned that majority into a now-four term minority. Pelosi spent nearly all her political capital mobilizing Democrats to shove through ObamaCare without a single Republican vote, using her now infamous line of needing to “pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” Pelosi’s move cost Democrats their majority while pushing the caucus even further to the Left because two-thirds of the “Blue Dog” moderate Democrats lost to Tea Party Republicans in the 2010 wave election.

As Democrats attempt to recover from their most shocking election defeat in recent memory, their choice of Pelosi sends the message of doubling down, rather than re-evaluation and change. For the 76 year-old Pelosi, her primary motivation may be for one last chance to flip the House to Democrats in 2018 so as to go out on top.