House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi likes to say that “beauty is in the mix," arguing that diverse viewpoints lead to a better debate and stronger policy outcomes.
Why it matters: If Dems win back the House in November's midterms, as expected, Pelosi will usher in the most diverse leadership team (in either chamber) in the history of Congress.
- Half of the 22 committee chairs would be women or minorities — or both.
The chart above shows the projected chairs. In most cases, it's the ranking member (top Democrat) of the current committee; Pelosi has said all of those members are expected to move up.
- In the case of retirements (two), this chart shows the next member in seniority, who is expected to get the job.
What a change this would be: The current Republican chairs are all white, with two women.
- House Dems are now 41% white male, which is sure to fall in the next Congress, with November's record lineup of Democratic nominees.