Key facts
- The Coalition for Speaker Ayanna Pressley said the Change.org petition had 58,503 signatures as of 5 p.m. EST on November 12, 2026.
- The coalition describes itself as progressive activists dedicated to electing Pressley to lead House Democrats.
- Pressley has not expressed interest in a bid against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is poised to become Speaker in January.
- Some Senate Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders said they will not back Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader.
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen said on November 9 he was in "listening mode" about running for the Senate leadership role.
A Change.org petition asking that Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) be named the next Speaker of the House had received 58,503 signatures as of 5 p.m. EST on November 12, 2026, according to the Coalition for Speaker Ayanna Pressley, the group that released it on November 6.
The coalition described itself as progressive activists from across the country dedicated to electing the lawmaker to lead her party in the House. In a statement it called Pressley "a beacon of hope and integrity in a tumultuous political landscape" and cited her record on criminal justice reform and climate change. The group said her ability to build bridges across the political aisle made her qualified for the role and that her leadership style "aligns with what the majority of Americans want to see in their government." Common Dreams first reported on the petition on November 11.
Pressley has not expressed interest in launching a bid to challenge House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who is poised to become the country's first Black Speaker at the start of the 120th Congress in January. She did call on Democrats to meet voters' expectations after the party's sweeping victories in the 2026 midterm elections, urging colleagues in a social media post on November 10 to be "the FIGHTERS in the room."
The petition comes as some progressive Democrats question Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) leadership. Some Senate Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who caucuses with Democrats, said they will not back Schumer as Senate majority leader. Sanders said the moment calls for greater action on issues like the cost of living and wealth inequality, and told reporters: "Do I think Chuck has been leading in that direction? No." Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has been seen as a potential challenger and said on November 9 that he was in "listening mode" as he considers running for the role.