Nancy Pelosi, the first woman in the speaker's office, has announced her retirement from American politics after a nearly 40-year career in the US Congress.

The 85-year-old, who has represented San Francisco for nearly 40 years, revealed her decision two days after Californian voters overwhelmingly approved "Proposition 50", a state redistricting effort aimed at flipping five House seats to Democrats in the midterm elections next year.

"I will not be seeking reelection to Congress," Pelosi said in a video address to voters.

"My message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power," she said. "We have made history. We have made progress. We have always led the way."

"And now we must continue to do so by remaining full participants in our democracy and fighting for the Amer

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