(Washington, DC) -- Nancy Pelosi is poised to make history today. The California Democrat is expected to be elected Speaker of the House today, a job she held from 2007-2011. She was the first woman to hold the Speaker's gavel and will likely be repeating that fete today.
The ascension of the 78-year-old lawmaker was made possible when voters shifted control of the House from Republicans to Democrats in November's midterm elections. The House Speaker is second in the line of succession to the presidency, after the vice president.