House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., received praise for her multi-hour filibuster on Wednesday from an unexpected source: House Republicans.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) taunted Pelosi and Democrats after her House floor address on immigration and Dreamers eclipsed the four-hour mark, and said her lengthy floor speech in favor of Dreamers would end up helping the GOP in this year's election.
"The fact that Nancy Pelosi is the face and leader of the Democratic Party is the gift that keeps on giving for the NRCC," said Matt Gorman, a spokesman at the NRCC.
"As her colleagues openly grumble that she's a liability for 2018 and she continues to be the most unpopular politician in the country, I can only say one thing: go, Nancy, go," Gorman said.
Pelosi began her speech soon after declaring that she will not support the budget deal reached between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. She cited the lack of a promise by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to put an immigration bill on the House floor like McConnell has in the Senate, which is expected to take place next week.
While the spending bill will likely pass the Senate, the House is a major question due to Democrats who Ryan was banking on to support the measure, and conservatives who believe the bill will explode the deficit.