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Democratic lawmakers on Thursday unanimously chose Nancy Pelosi to become the first female speaker of the House of Representatives and the second in the presidential line of succession.
The California representative, who served as minority leader, will officially become the presiding officer of the lower chamber when the new Congress convenes in January, with Democrats in the majority for the first time in 12 years.
Democrats named Pelosi, 66, a dynamic challenger to President George W. Bush, unanimously and by acclamation, according to legislative sources.
However, Democrats were not united behind Pelosi's choice for majority leader, the second most powerful position in the House.
She had endorsed her longtime friend Jack Murtha, 74, a former Marine from Pennsylvania, who one year ago became the first elected Democrat to call for a rapid withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
But Democrats instead chose Steny Hoyer of Maryland by a secret ballot tally of 149 for Hoyer and 86 for Murtha, in the first sign of divisions in the newly elected majority.
Hoyer, 67, is a moderate and currently serves as minority whip, Pelosi's number two.
The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington had called Murtha "one of the most unethical members of Congress," alleging favors to campaign contributors and citing opposition to ethics reforms in Congress.
The speaker of the House is second in line for the White House, after the vice president, in the event that a sitting president resigns, dies, becomes incapacitated or is removed from office.
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AFP 161723 GMT 11 06
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