Peace activist Cindy Sheehan qualified to take on Pelosi in CA-8 race this November

Bay Area anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan has made good on her pledge to take on the most powerful woman in U.S. politics, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Sheehan, whose son Casey died while fighting in Iraq, gained national attention after holding a weeks long vigil outside of the entrance to President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas.

The housewife-turned-peace activist vowed earlier this year to oppose Pelosi (D-San Francisco) when the speaker failed to seek the impeachment of Bush or at least cut off any additional funding of the war.

On Monday, San Francisco elections officials verified that she had collected the requisite number of petition signatures and will appear on the November election ballot as a decline to state candidate.

Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill told the Associated Press in this story that the speaker welcomes the challenge and has "the highest respect" for Sheehan.