U.S. House Democrats on Thursday officially elected Representative Nancy Pelosi of California as speaker-designate, to succeed Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois when the new Congress convenes in January next year.

Pelosi was selected unanimously, and would become the first woman to become House speaker in the U.S. history, the second in line of succession to the presidency, behind only the vice president.

She would assume the speakership when the 110th Congress convenes and formally elects her to the position in early January 2007.

Pelosi, born in March, 1940, was first elected to the House from the 8th district of California in 1987.

She has been House minority leader of the 119th Congress.

After Democrats won a majority of House seats in last week's midterm elections, Pelosi was almost certain to become speaker for the 110th Congress, the closest woman to the presidency in the line of succession.

With Pelosi to become speaker, Democrats were divided over whom they should select as majority leader.

Pelosi has endorsed her long-time ally Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania to take the powerful No. 2 party post in the House, passing over Steny Hoyer of Maryland, currently the House minority whip.

House Republicans, who would become the minority party in the new Congress, would elect their leadership team Friday.

Senate Democrats and Republicans have already elected their leaderships respectively.

Source: Xinhua