Pelosi still in the GOP bulls-eye

Washington (CNN) - She may not be the House Speaker anymore, but Nancy Pelosi still finds herself the target of congressional Republicans.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, GOP Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, takes direct aim at Pelosi, who becomes the House Minority Leader.

"While Nancy Pelosi and her party apparently have yet to understand the message sent on Election Day, the American people have no regrets for soundly rejecting the job-killing policies that Democrats imposed the last four years," says Sessions, according to a prepared text of his comments released by the NRCC. "The more determined Nancy Pelosi is to fight efforts to create jobs and grow our economy, the more motivated voters will be to ensure that she never holds the Speaker's gavel again."

But a top House Democratic official is pushing back at Sessions and congressional Republicans.

"Republicans mistakenly belief they have a mandate for their special interest agenda," Jennifer Crider, deputy executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, tells CNN. "Republicans first priority is repealing health insurance reform and investigating the Administration, breaking their pledge to cut $100 billion from the budget, running against government funded health care and accepting it for themselves, hiring lobbyists to be their Chief of Staffs, and holding lavish fundraisers. Republicans have the middle class behind and gone Washington even before being sworn in."

The NRCC, among others on the GOP side, targeted Pelosi in its ads during the midterm election campaign season, tying vulnerable Democrats to the House Speaker.

–Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn