For the Worst Congress Ever, Were There Any Winners In the House of Representatives?

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Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 08:41 pm

As 2013 comes to a close, we at PoliticusUSA thought we’d take a look at some of the year’s biggest winners and losers. For this particular column, we asked several writers to give us their pick for the biggest winner in the House of Representatives in 2013. Here are the responses that we received. Enjoy!

Sarah Jones: Managing Editor/Columnist

Nancy Pelosi, the only person who can lead the House.

Justin Baragona: Senior Editor

Nancy Pelosi. While John Boehner floundered as Speaker of the House on a daily basis this past year (and in years past), Pelosi showed her ability to rally support within her caucus and deliver votes, which is what a strong leader does. As ineffectual Boehner showed himself to be, Pelosi continuously showed how strong a leader she really is. Hopefully voters will recognize that and push Democrats back into the majority in the House in 2014.

Trevor LaFauci: Contributing Writer

In the House this year, representative Alan Grayson from Florida’s 9th district, really emerged as the progressive candidate all his constituents hoped he would be. From the onset, Grayson was a vocal opponent of the Tea Party and denounced their inherent racism in a fundraising email in October. Although the email drew the ire of the right for comparing the Tea Party to the KKK, it got the point across that there is are underlying reasons for an entire group of people to oppose a president’s every single decision. An addition, Grayson was a vocal opponent of military intervention of Syria and it can be argued he was one of the figureheads in turning the American people away from the idea of a potential military conflict in the region. Grayson remains a powerful voice for the progressive movement and is never one to back down to political opponents.

Keith Brekhus: Contributing Writer

The biggest winner in the House is John L. Lewis (D-GA) who continues to be a champion for Civil Rights and Voting Rights and has been for decades.

Hrafnkell Haroldsson: Editor/Columnist

The biggest winner in the House is House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who, in the face of the worst House of Representatives in our country’s history, has continued to do her job and lead her caucus. I think about her turning the tables on Darrell Issa the other day, calling out John Boehner regarding the debt ceiling, or dismantling propagandist David Gregory’s talking points more than once. Pelosi has no fear. She is an inspiration and it is no wonder Republicans and tea partiers revile her so much. Remember Sarah Palin’s pathetic attacks on her this past summer, before Sarah Palin played the victim to Martin Bashir’s critique? Pelosi is not perfect anymore than is Harry Reid perfect, but they have performed an invaluable service to the American people during a time in which the Republicans would destroy the entire country to destroy our nation’s first black president. I look forward to the day when a Wendy Davis or an Elizabeth Warren can step into her shoes.

And there you have it, folks. These are PoliticusUSA’s picks for the House’s winner of the year. Feel free to comment at the bottom and provide us with your thoughts. We will be posting more of these columns over the rest of the holiday season as we say goodbye to 2013.