Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela: Pelosi 'doesn't help our candidates'

The two most recent special elections, both contests for congressional seats in the House of Representatives, were held in SC and Georgia, the latter marking, as noted by CNBC, the most expensive House race in history. Republicans tried to run against Nancy Pelosi in Georgia's special election - they are that devoid of ideas and policies they can tell the people about. "I'm a master legislator, I am a strategic, politically astute leader", said Pelosi, as she also touted her fundraising prowess.

And it is not just in red or purple states where Democrats' fortunes have collapsed.

"I love the arena, I thrive on competition, and I welcome the discussion".

With some members doubting her abilities she sang her own praises. "I don't think that people working inside the bubble have any grasp of how irrelevant the catty, cable news catfights look to the outside world". Instead, Pelosi had to spend time defending her continued leadership of the Democratic caucus.

As the wheels of Trumplandia continue to spin, it's been easy to overlook one glaring reality: Democrats in Congress are doing nearly nothing other than finding new and creative ways to resist the Republicans. The Republican base despises her and after all these years in the minority on the Hill-she's still a motivating factor for GOP turnout. Mr. Ossoff, billed by some Democrats as a 30-year-old boy wonder, ran more or less the same as Hillary Clinton did against Mr. Trump in this district, and that's after six months of a Trump presidency that is producing dismal approval ratings. "That would be very bad for the Republican Party - and please let Cryin' Chuck stay!" he tweeted.

She is the latest in a line of Republicans who have represented the Georgia 6th since 1979, beginning with Newt Gingrich, who would become House speaker. "We have all the ads done".

"I think that if we are going to win, if we're going to regain the majority in 2018, we have to have new leadership", Vela said.

Republican candidate Karen Handel consistently labeled Democrat Jon Ossoff 'Nancy Pelosi's handpicked candidate'.

"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", Ryan said.

On Morning Joe Thursday, Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., had made a plea for Pelosi's ouster.

Still, some Democrats are concerned that Pelosi - the first woman speaker of the House who led her party to victory on Obamacare, financial services reform, and other initiatives - carries more baggage than others, given her high name recognition.

And Rice backed Pelosi in last year's leadership fight. Ossoff, he said, could have run much more forcefully against the House Republican health care bill, particularly its unpopular provisions that would undercut protections for those with pre-existing conditions. She's the ultimate expression of "San Francisco values", and nobody's buying those anywhere but in San Francisco.

But Pelosi continues to command great loyalty from many in the House, and she insisted her position was not in jeopardy.

"I think that in certain areas, like in some of these special election districts, it doesn't benefit our candidates to be tied to her", Ryan said. Rice said. "I want to win". 'Nor is it accurate. Win there and they're on the road to taking over the House in 2018. We have to address that reality'. 'I personally think that time is now'. "People in OH don't grab me about Russian Federation at all when I'm home", Ryan said.

'I mean, I wish it wasn't true, ' he added.

"She's less popular than Donald Trump in my district", Ryan told CNN's Don Lemon. That's the honest answer, ' Ryan answered.

"You want me to sing my praises?" she asked defiantly.

The thank you to Trump was Handel's most public show of support of the man who wasn't embraced by many voters in the well-educated suburban Atlanta district in November.