Pelosi elected as first woman to lead US House

WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) Ms Nancy Pelosi, a California liberal who helped engineer the Democratic takeover of the US Congress from President George W Bush's Republicans, today became the first woman elected to lead the US House of Representatives.

On a largely party-line vote, Ms Pelosi, 66, was selected as House speaker, a post that puts her second in the line of succession, behind only the vice president, to the US presidency.

House Republican leader John Boehner, who has had a number of political battles with Pelosi, hailed her ascension, calling it ''a new milestone in American history.'' Said Boehner: ''This is important for the Congress, and I congratulate Ms. Pelosi.'' REUTERS SRS PM0025