WASHINGTON — Rep. William L. Owens said Wednesday he considered voting against Rep. Nancy Pelosi to continue in the House Democrats' top leadership position but was reassured by her promise to govern from the political center and focus on jobs in the new Congress.

"I would not have supported her had she not represented those things to me," Mr. Owens said.

Whether Mrs. Pelosi, D-Calif., delivers on that promise remains to be seen; she is one of the more liberal members of Congress and will lead a caucus with many fewer moderates or conservatives. Mr. Owens was the rare Democratic centrist who won re-election.

Mrs. Pelosi beat Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., in the Democrats-only vote, 150-43. Her challenger said he was running in order to give Democrats unhappy with Mrs. Pelosi an alternative.

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