In a wide-ranging appearance on CNN, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi wasted no time outlining the stakes of the upcoming election and the GOP’s ongoing efforts to hold power—efforts she says come at the cost of both democracy and healthcare access.

Speaking with Jake Tapper, Pelosi focused first on the newly proposed Texas redistricting map, which she said would eliminate many minority seats in Congress. The move, she argued, wasn’t just anti-democratic—it was also racially discriminatory. “The gerrymandering they’re doing is… undermining the diversity we need to have in the Congress,” she said.

When Tapper asked whether California Democrats should respond in kind, Pelosi pointed out that California uses a nonpartisan commission for redistricting—but added that Democrats have options. “We would alter that a bit in order to pick up the seats we need,” she said, emphasizing that such a move would only be necessary to counteract Republican efforts to rig the system.

Pelosi tied these maneuvers to what she called a “poverty of ideas” in the Republican Party—an inability to win on policy that has led them to tactics like voter suppression and district manipulation. She warned that if the GOP’s new maps are left unchallenged, it could reshape the 2026 election before a single vote is cast. “Absolutely,” Pelosi said when asked if the race was being rigged. “That’s who they are.”

But Pelosi didn’t dwell in doom. She pivoted quickly to what Democrats are offering, celebrating the 60th anniversary of Medicaid and emphasizing the real-world consequences of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”—a sweeping Republican-led proposal that would slash Medicaid funding nationwide.

“It’s shameful, dirty, filthy, stinking, lousy,” Pelosi said of the cuts, which she said would shutter rural hospitals, eliminate coverage for children and people with disabilities, and devastate veterans. She said her team is responding with a “Save Medicaid Summer” campaign, already generating over 300,000 calls to Republican offices from California constituents.

Pressed on a personal attack from President Trump—who accused her of insider trading—Pelosi flatly rejected the claim. “That’s ridiculous,” she said, reiterating her support for banning members of Congress from trading stocks. “I’m not into it. My husband is,” she added. “But it isn’t anything to do with insider [information].”

More pointedly, Pelosi called the attacks projection from a man with “his own exposure.” And though she said she’d rather not focus on Trump, she did take a moment to reference the violent 2022 assault on her husband, Paul Pelosi. “He thinks that’s a riot,” she said of Trump. “Let’s not give him any more time on that, please.”

Pelosi also addressed Kamala Harris’s decision not to enter the 2026 California governor’s race. While she supported whatever path the Vice President chose, Pelosi made clear her attention is squarely on this year’s congressional races. “I’m focused on winning the House to save our democracy,” she said.

On the question of generational change within the party, Pelosi also signaled her support for longtime colleague Rep. Jerry Nadler, who is facing a primary challenge from 26-year-old Liam Elkind. “If Nadler decides to run, I will support him,” she said, while acknowledging that challengers are “part of politics.”

As always, Pelosi ended on message: “Cancel the Medicare cuts.” Her interview served as a reminder that for all the noise—redistricting, rumors, personal attacks—she’s still focused on the fundamentals: health care, representation, and winning elections.