the deal appears to have been derailed by opposition among certain assembly democrats to de león becoming speaker and by a desire to elect a speaker who could serve longer than two years. (de león, unlike pérez, could not serve beyond 2012.) the leadership battle came to a head on december 3, 2009, when assembly speaker karen bass announced that pérez had enough support to succeed her. on december 10, the assembly democratic caucus met to select the next speaker. during the meeting, de león threw his support to pérez, who was elected unopposed. he was formally elected by a 48–26 vote of the full assembly on january 7, 2010 and replaced bass on march 1, 2010.