(CNN) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's margin for error is slim on Sunday, when lawmakers return to Washington to officially usher in a new session of Congress and elect their new speaker. After serving 17 years as Democrats' leader, Pelosi is running unopposed. But the looming threat of coronavirus paired with the Democrats' smallest majority in decades means Pelosi and her deputies are carefully counting votes to ensure she can avoid any embarrassment on the House floor. In order to win the speakership, a member must receive at least 50% of the vote plus one. Aides estimate Pelosi will have a roughly a 10-vote margin, depending on if an outstanding congressional race in New York is called by Sunday.

Source: CNN December 30, 2020 00:03 UTC