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Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020

Does the speaker normally play a big role in campaigning for control of the House?

Miriam Himelstein, Gigafact
yes

The role of speaker of the House is constitutionally undefined, but in the modern political era speakers have played a critical role both in legislating and campaigning and fundraising for their party.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (a Democrat) raised $87 million in 2019 for Democratic candidates and the party. During the 2018 midterms Speaker Paul Ryan (a Republican) raised over $70 million. Regardless of party, modern speakers have been–and are, in fact, expected to be–major players in fundraising and campaigning. They have generally tried to use their office in ways that benefit their party members and safeguard their party's majority status.

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