HELENA — Democratic U.S. House candidate Kathleen Williams of Montana says if elected she would not support Nancy Pelosi as the party’s leader in the House.
Williams, a former state lawmaker from Bozeman, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the “hyper-partisan” atmosphere pervading Congress needs to be changed by installing new leaders for both major parties.
By coming out against Pelosi, Williams appears to be trying to defuse a potential political liability as the general election season gets under way.
Other Democratic candidates also have distanced themselves from Pelosi, a longtime lightning rod for Republican criticism.
Williams’ opponent, first-term Republican incumbent Rep. Greg Gianforte, has sought to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction by saying the nation “can’t afford to go back” to the policies of Pelosi and former President Barack Obama.