Pelosi to seek re-election as US House speaker

Veteran Democrat Nancy Pelosi has announced that she was seeking a re-election as Speaker of the US House of Representatives.

In a letter to her Democratic colleagues on Friday, the 80-year-old said: "Our vision for the next two years must be built on the success of Democratic House Majority in the 116th Congress, and to harness the extraordinary visions, values and vibrancy of our Caucus to secure the progress that the American people deserve.

"In that spirit. I am writing to request your support to be re-elected as Speaker."

Pelosi became the first woman elected as Speaker of the House in 2007 and she served until 2011, reports ABC News.

She was elected again in 2019.

Pelosi was re-elected to the US House in California's 12th Congressional District during this year's general elections, in which all the 435 seats of the chamber were contested, Xinhua news agency.

House Democrats will formally begin the process of choosing their leaders on November 18.

Democrats are expected to keep control of the lower chamber, but their majority has been forecast to be narrower.

During a conference call on Thursday with House Democrats, Pelosi encouraged optimism from her colleagues, reports ABC News.

"This has been a life-or-death fight for the very fate of our democracy. We did not win every battle, but we did win the war," she said.

"You hold your head up high. We helped Joe Biden get that mandate."

Meanwhile in the Senate, based on races that have been called so far, Republicans and Democrats are deadlocked at 48 seats each.

Republican leaders said on Friday that it is still unclear which party will control the 100-seat upper chamber.