"Boehner faces someone who has been enormously effective, and someone who is as good a vote counter as there is in modern politics," Chris Lehane, a Democratic strategist that worked for Clinton, told NPR. "The shellacking doesn't fall on her - she's not in charge of the brand, especially when the party has control of the White House."

Upon learning that Pelosi was running for leader, the Republican National Committee replaced a big red sign reading "Fire Pelosi" on the front of their building with a sign reading "Hire Pelosi."