A caucus of newly elected Democrats who will give the party majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives when they take office in January nominated Nancy Pelosi as their choice for speaker on Wednesday, but she still has her work cut out for her.

The 203-32 vote for Pelosi was solid, but to become speaker again she will have to find another 15 votes by Jan. 3 when the new Congress is seated and Democrats formally elect their speaker.

The ability Pelosi demonstrated in the lead up to the caucus — as she fended off challenges from young, progressive newcomers who wanted to go in a different direction — is the very reason Democrats should seriously consider sticking with the California representative.

The coming congressional session will not be a time for a speaker who has to learn on the job.

In President Trump, the new Democratic majority in the House faces a Republican who is unpredictable and does not play by the traditional rules. A Trump who feels he is under attack could block any attempts by Democrats to move legislation. On the other hand, Trump is no Republican ideologue and it is possible he would entertain Democratic initiatives to invest in infrastructure, adjust the recent tax cuts to make them more middle-class friendly, improve health care coverage and potentially even address immigration.

With her long leadership experience, Pelosi may provide the best chance to pursue the investigations into the Trump administration that will, and should, begin when Democrats take control of the House, while also keeping the door open to working with the president. Pelosi recognizes that the best political move for Democrats will be to demonstrate they can accomplish things — or to at least show that they tried only to be stymied by Republican intransigence.

Making it all about attacking Trump could backfire among voters tired of the fighting in Washington.

In Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the next House confronts a wily counterpart whose caucus will be more conservative than before the 2018 election and who will be in no mood to give House Democrats any victories.

The bottom line is that House Democrats will need someone who knows the legislative rules, is a master of procedure and the art of lining up votes, someone who gives as good as she takes. Pelosi, who has remained as minority leader since she lost her speakership after the 2010 election, is that person. At 78 she has shown no signs of slowing down.

Granted, there are justifications for a change in leadership. Pelosi has become a convenient target for Republicans hoping to peel off voters in toss-up districts. Yet the results of the election proved that approach ineffective. And Pelosi’s skill as a fundraiser benefitted many a Democratic House candidate.

Her willingness to compromise is not popular among some newly elected Democrats who consider it their calling to pursue a progressive agenda. Yet polls show most voters want compromise if it means getting things done.

At this point, Connecticut’s five congressmen, all Democrats, are backing Pelosi, including Rep. Joe Courtney, who serves this region’s Second District. Fifth District Rep.-elect Jahana Hayes announced her support this week after saying during the campaign she did not anticipate backing Pelosi.

If Pelosi prevails, it could well be a last hurrah. In the lead up to the 2020 election, Republicans could find themselves hampered by a president with abysmal approval ratings and who is fending off investigations. A Senate map that favored Republicans in the 2018 election flips to favor Democrats in 2020.

In politics, two years is a very long time, but as of now the odds favor a continued Democratic resurgence. Two years from now it may well be time for Democrats to undertake a generational transfer of power in leadership. But in the meantime, Pelosi is probably the best bet to meet the challenge in a political reality in which Democrats control only the House.

The Day editorial board meets with political, business and community leaders to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Timothy Dwyer, Executive Editor Izaskun E. Larraneta, Owen Poole, copy editor, and Lisa McGinley, retired deputy managing editor. The board operates independently from The Day newsroom.