Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed confidence in the Democratic Party’s chances of reclaiming the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections, speaking Thursday to attendees at the Voters of Tomorrow summit, as reported by Fox News.

The longtime California lawmaker also predicted that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., would become the next Speaker if Democrats regain control.

“We have no doubt that we will win the election with the House of Representatives,” Pelosi told the Gen Z activist crowd, prompting applause. She reiterated the point, saying, “No doubt,” in response to the reaction.

Pelosi, who led House Democrats for two decades, said preparation would be key to flipping control of the House. She compared the current political environment to 2006 and 2018, when Democrats made significant midterm gains. Pelosi emphasized the importance of year-ahead strategy and early infrastructure-building for messaging, mobilization, and fundraising.

“It’s important to be strong in the year in advance, because that’s when the troops line up,” Pelosi said. “We have our messaging, we have our mobilization, we need the money to do it, but they go only next to a school to hold up the most important part: the candidate.”

In addition to organizing efforts, Pelosi identified lowering President Donald Trump’s approval numbers as a key objective for Democrats leading into 2026. She referred to Trump’s current polling as “terrible” and said bringing his numbers down would be a major priority.

“By October — certainly by November, but by October, we will have — with the help of so many people working — we’ll have taken what’s his name’s numbers down,” she said, avoiding directly naming President Trump.