Nancy Pelosi says she has enough votes to continue leading House Democrats

At least 17 Democrats oppose her becoming Speaker of the House

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she has the votes to become the new Speaker of the House when Democrats regain control of the chamber in 2019 (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Democrat Nancy Pelosi has claimed she has enough votes from colleagues to become the Spraker of the House of Representatives - despite a swell of opposition in her own party.

The longtime Congresswoman from northern California is set to take the position currently held by Republican Paul Ryan.

However, there are at least 17 Democrats who have come forward as opposing Ms Pelosi’s speakership, some even winning their close races by promising voters they would oppose her long-held tenure at the helm.

Ms Pelosi said she was not worried. “I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker of the House. I happen to think at this point, I’m the best person for that,” she said.

A vote in the Democratic caucus is set to take place on 28 November and the new full House will vote on her possible appointment on 4 January 2019.

Democrats are very close to seeing a 40 seat increase in the lower chamber of Congress as a result of what Ms Pelosi called “almost a tsunami” of blue across the map.

Experts are split if the election was a confirmation or repudiation of her authority, though.

Ms Pelosi needs 218 votes in order to become Speaker, and they do not all have to be Democrats.

Some Republicans have said they could support her speakership should certain conditions be met.

Ms Pelosi has led Democrats for 15 years and was Speaker from 2007 to 2010.

No Democrat has stepped up to challenge the leader but Congresswoman Marcia Fudge of Ohio told the Washington Post she has been encouraged to run.

“Over the last 12 hours, I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of support I’ve received,” Ms Fudge said.

She noted “probably closer to 30” Democrats have privately signalled that they are willing to oppose Ms Pelosi, adding: “Things could change rapidly”.

Ms Fudge is considering a run and consulting with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), which she once led and has up to this point supported Ms Pelosi.

Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton seems to be leading the charge against Ms Pelosi, who has gotten vocal support from the CBC and other prominent party members.

He is backing Ms Fudge as the next Speaker, calling her “the kind of new leader that we need in this party.”

“She’s in touch with middle America. She understands what the American people want. She’s a next-generation leader that people will look to and say, ‘That’s the future of our party, that’s the future of our country and that’s exactly the kind of leader that I want to see as our next speaker,” Mr Moulton said about Ms Fudge.

Some newly elected members who ran on platforms of opposing Ms Pelosi, like Congresswoman-elect Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, have agreed to meet with her to discuss possible compromises and changes.

Ms Tlaib, who is one of two of Congress' first female Muslim legislators, will discuss how Ms Pelosi and Democrats will “celebrate that diversity, that rainbow of women coming in…[and] also honour it by putting [women] on some really critical committees.”

The incoming class also includes New York Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who spent part of her first day with protesters outside of Ms Pelosi's office calling for a new economy based on fighting climate change. Her presence was not necessarily in opposition to the current leader but just to call attention to an issue on which the freshman member wants to see the new Congress focus.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez won her seat by ousting longtime Democratic Congressman and the man Ms Pelosi was said to be grooming to take over as speaker, Joe Crowley.