But many of the Democrats who made that victory possible had also made a big promise: They wouldn't support Pelosi for speaker. They would need a relatively small number of Democrats to prevent Pelosi from getting 218 votes come January, when the full House holds its speaker election. A week after the election, the group of rebels started collecting signatures on a letter vowing to oppose Pelosi for speaker, eventually releasing it with 16 names. Ryan, Moulton and Rice, on the same day as the caucus vote, had a meeting with Pelosi in her office. Meanwhile, another leader in the small group, Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Colorado, had been privately negotiating with Pelosi.

Source: CNN December 15, 2018 13:11 UTC