Rep. Matheson will vote against Pelosi for minority leader

Shortly after House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that she would run for reelection as the chamber's top Democrat a number of House Democrats indicated they might not vote for her. 

Reps. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) confirmed to The Hill that they will  not support Pelosi's candidacy as minority leader. Similarly, Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) left open the possibility of voting against Pelosi.

"I am disappointed that we fell far short of gaining the majority in this election. If we are going to have a chance of winning the majority in the next election, we need to have a bigger tent and a brand with a wider appeal," Lipinski said in a statement. "Moderate Democrats need to feel welcome under this tent and must believe that the brand is safe to run with in the districts that we must win in order to gain back the majority. I look forward to hearing ideas about how we are going to broaden our appeal."

Matheson said it was time for a shakeup of the Democratic leadership.

"I think it is time to shake things up within the Democratic Caucus. I think we should look for some new leadership," Matheson said in an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune. "I won’t be voting for Nancy Pelosi."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Washington bureau also tweeted that Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.) will vote against Pelosi as well. Barrow's office did not respond to a request for comment on the report.

Earlier in the day Pelosi announced that she would run to serve another term as Democratic leader. Democrats will hold the election for minority leader on Nov. 29. Pelosi is likely to serve as minority leader in the 113th Congress.

Nineteen Democrats previously voted for someone other than Pelosi to serve as minority leader in the 112th Congress. Ten of those 19 will serve in the 113th Congress. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) did not vote for anyone for minority leader in the last Congress.

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