Pelosi is expected to announce whether she will stay on as the top House Democrat Wednesday.
Pelosi and Israel both touted the diversity of the caucus, as they have in the past.
“Together the diversity of our caucus celebrates the strength of our nation. This caucus is a picture of America,” Pelosi said.
However, both upped their praise of its place from the most diverse in U.S. history to the most diverse in the “history of civilization.”
“The Republican caucus, if you look at it, looks like a rerun of the show ‘Mad Men.’ Our caucus looks like America,” Israel said.
After outstanding races are called, Democrats will pick up seven or eight net seats, a modest gain compared to earlier expectations of taking back control of the House that Pelosi set with her slogan, “Drive for 25.”
Pelosi conceded, “We may not have the majority, we may not have the gavel, but we have unity,” and said House Democrats were ready to work with President Barack Obama.
The California Democrat offered effusive praise of Israel.
“When I asked him to take this responsibility to serve our country and our colleagues, I said to all of you that he is the gold standard of a member of Congress,” Pelosi said. “He knows the policy. He cares about the American people. And that drives him to do the politics, to increase our numbers, to pass legislation that takes us forward, to improve the lives of the American people.”
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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