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By Giulia Carbonaro
Senior Reporter
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Several conservative social-media accounts were celebrating the end of Nancy Pelosi's tenure as House speaker on Thursday, after it was announced on Wednesday night that the Republican Party had won back control of the House of Representatives by a slim majority. Most claimed Pelosi "has been fired."
The expression is technically incorrect, as Pelosi, 82, still maintains her job as congresswoman within the House of Representatives, though she will no longer be the speaker.
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And yet the phrase is part of a "Fire Nancy Pelosi" campaign, which has marked the weeks before the midterms and can be considered to have fueled the toxic political environment that led to the hammer attack against her husband, Paul, also 82, on October 28.
"Tonight it's official: One-party Democrat rule is FINISHED. We have fired Nancy Pelosi," wrote California Rep. Kevin McCarthy on Twitter on Wednesday night, after winning the GOP backing to become the new majority House speaker.
McCarthy won the Republican nomination in a vote of 188 to 31, defeating Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, who ran as a protest candidate.
The same remarks about Pelosi being "fired" were repeated by several Republican actors and conservative media accounts, including Mike Pence.
The former vice president tweeted: "Congratulations to our new and re-elected Republican members of Congress! Because of your dedication to the American people and to American Freedom, Republicans have won the House and fired Nancy Pelosi once and for all! The Great American Comeback is here!"
Conservative account TEAM USA, which has more than 22,000 followers, tweeted: "My coffee tastes better this morning knowing Nancy Pelosi is fired as House Speaker."
The Twitter account RNC Research, managed by the Republican National Committee (RNC)—a group supporting the GOP—announced that Republicans had won the House of Representatives, with an image reading "Fire Pelosi" under a strap marked "Fired", and the caption: "Nancy Pelosi has been FIRED."
RNC's former communications director Doug Heye played a key role in starting calls for Pelosi to be "fired," launching the fundraising campaign at the firenancypelosi.com website, according to CBC. The goal was to raise $402,010 in 40 hours.
On the website's homepage, no longer available, Pelosi was featured among burning flames with her fists up and a caption reading "No More Madam Speaker."
Pelosi made history in 2007 when she was elected the first woman to serve as the speaker of the house, and in 2019, she regained the position.
Pelosi's political future is uncertain, and an announcement is expected on Thursday. "Speaker Pelosi has been overwhelmed by calls from colleagues, friends and supporters," her deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, tweeted on Wednesday night following the announcement of the Republicans' victory in the House.
"This evening, the Speaker monitored returns in the three remaining critical states. The Speaker plans to address her future plans tomorrow to her colleagues. Stay tuned."
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