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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suffered a rare but prominent defeat on Wednesday when Democrats chose Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) as ranking member of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee.

Although Pallone was next in line to replace retiring Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) on the panel, Pelosi had come out in strong and vocal support of his challenger, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D), a fellow Californian and close friend to the minority leader.

Although Pelosi this week ran unchallenged as House Democrats leader for the next Congress, Pallones victory highlights the limits of her power and caps a tough run for the California liberal, whos led her party for the last 12 years.

Shes been under a microscope since the midterm election rout, with many Democrats and party strategists itching for some younger talent or at least a fresh message.

This party has to look internally as to where the hell its going, said Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), who had called, unsuccessfully, for a delay in leadership elections to allow members to digest the election results. If we think theres no difference in what happened this time and what happened in 2010 ... we are dead wrong.

Pelosi raised more eyebrows when she downplayed the degree of the Democrats losses by rejecting the wave designation being applied by other observers of all stripes and affiliations.

More recently, she angered many in her caucus when she denied a request from Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), an Iraq War veteran and double amputee who backed Pallone, to vote in leadership elections by proxy because her pregnancy prevented her from traveling to Washington.

The episode launched a spirited debate in the Democrats caucus meeting Tuesday, inspiring Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the civil rights icon, to make an emotional plea to allow Duckworth a vote.

Even Jon Stewart of The Daily Show hit Pelosi, with a sketch ripping her on the controversy an embarrassing, if trivial, call from a much-watched liberal entertainer who often backs Pelosis positions and has on multiple occasions had her on the show as a guest.

Pelosi bounced back quickly Wednesday afternoon, securing a win for Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) over Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) atop the Veterans Affairs Committee. Brown was next in line to replace outgoing Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine), and Pelosi had endorsed her publicly earlier in the month.

Original post:
Democrats rebuff Pelosi in vote