Congressman-elect Ben McAdams kept a key campaign promise Wednesday and voted against the nomination of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi as the next House Speaker.
McAdams is back in Washington, D.C. for a second week of freshman member orientation and was one of 32 Democrats who opposed Pelosi’s nomination as Speaker. The San Francisco Democrat ran for the position unopposed and won the nomination from the incoming Democratic majority by a vote of 203-32.
“He made a promise to Utahns that he wouldn’t vote for Nancy Pelosi,” said McAdams’ campaign manager Andrew Roberts. “He thinks it’s time for new leadership on both sides of the aisle.”
Pelosi still faces a formal vote before the full House when it convenes in early January and needs a majority of votes from the entire body to take back the gavel.
McAdams “voted no on Pelosi today and he hopes that another Democratic candidate for Speaker emerges before the [next] vote,” Roberts said.
In addition to another week of meetings and trainings for freshman lawmakers, McAdams is working to set up his office and hire staff.
A spokeswoman for McAdams Salt Lake County Mayor’s office said he will resign the position shortly before being sworn into the 116th Congress on Jan. 3, 2019.
After McAdams’ resignation becomes official, the Salt Lake County Council will notify the Salt Lake County Democratic Party that it has 30 days to name a replacement. Executive director Bonnie Billings said the county party will hold a special election in late January or early February, when the 1,030 delegates on the central committee will vote on candidates.
Depending on the number of people who throw their names into the ring, there could be several rounds of voting until a candidate wins support from at least 60 percent of delegates.
The winner’s name will then be given to the county council, which will confirm the appointment.
No candidate has publicly announced their intent to run yet, though county councilwoman Jenny Wilson, who recently lost a bid for U.S. Senate to Republican Mitt Romney, has expressed interest.
Roberts, McAdams’ campaign spokesman, said the congressman-elect may choose to endorse a candidate for the county mayor position, but wants to wait until the field of candidates solidifies before he weighs in. But he might not endorse anyone.
“He wants to leave Salt Lake County in capable hands,” Roberts said.
