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Revision as of 06:52, 15 November 2002 by Brooke Vibber (talk | contribs) (sp)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Nancy Pelosi (born Nancy D'Alesandro on March 26, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland) is the minority leader of the Democratic Party in the United States House of Representatives. She became involved in politics at an early age, as her father was a member of the House and a mayor of Baltimore, Maryland.
Pelosi attended Trinity College in Washington, DC, where she met her future husband, Paul Pelosi. When the couple married, they moved to his hometown of San Francisco, California, where his brother served on the city's Board of Supervisors. Once her youngest of five children had entered school, Nancy Pelosi became involved in Democratic Party politics in the city, working her way up to party chairwoman for Northern California, and joining forces with one of the leaders of California Democratic Party politics, San Francisco Representative Phillip Burton.
When Burton died in 1983, his wife Sala won a special election to complete his term. When she became ill with cancer, she suggested that Nancy Pelosi run for her seat. Pelosi won in a special election to succeed Sala Burton in 1987, and has won every election since then.
In the House, she served on the Appropriations and Intelligence committees, and spent long hours raising funds for other members. In 2001 she was elected to the position of minority whip. Since then, she has campaigned for candidates in 30 states and in 90 Congressional districts, garnering support for her further climb to the top.
In 2002, she was elected minority leader. She is characterized as part of the party's liberal wing.