Hakeem Jeffries Set to Become First Black Speaker of the House
Following a decisive House victory for Democrats in the midterms, the New York representative is on the verge of securing the top legislative leadership role.
By Elijah Fitzgerald ·
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York is expected to win the vote to become the next speaker of the House on Jan. 3. The New York Democrat, who has served in Congress since 2013, would be the first Black lawmaker to hold that position. He would also become the second person in the presidential line of succession, behind the vice president.
Jeffries has spent nearly 14 years in the House. His career began as a rank-and-file member focused on criminal justice policy. He later served as a top aide to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi before becoming House minority leader in 2022. That role made him the first Black politician to lead either party in the House or Senate.
His path to the speakership requires managing a diverse and sometimes divided House Democratic caucus. The party is now tasked with delivering on campaign promises to voters. Jeffries addressed this responsibility on Tuesday night. He stated that this was a change election and that the party must deliver dramatic change. He added that current systems are broken and that Congress needs to prioritize the American people.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Jeffries represented parts of the borough in the New York State Assembly for six years before moving to Congress. In the state legislature, he worked to regulate warrantless stop-and-frisk searches by the New York City Police Department. In Washington, he helped pass the bipartisan First Step Act during the first Trump administration. That law reduced sentences for certain drug crimes.
Jeffries credited a 2023 interview with NY1 for explaining his motivation. He said his time in a law school legal clinic sparked his interest in criminal justice reform. He noted that he wanted to address a broken system if he entered public service. He also worked closely with Jared Kushner to pass the First Step Act. Jeffries described the partnership as one that produced real results.
The representative faced some criticism from within his party for meeting privately with Kushner this year. Jeffries confirmed the meeting was at Kushner's request to discuss affordability. He said Democrats intend to hold the administration accountable on that issue.
As a legislator, Jeffries has balanced positions between the party's left and center. He was once a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and sponsored Medicare for All proposals. He served as an impeachment manager during the Senate trial over Trump's pressure campaign on Ukraine. For the new term, Jeffries has said the primary focus is lowering costs for Americans. He told Fox News in April that impeachment is not a top priority and told ABC in September that Democrats have not ruled anything in or out.
The House will hold a floor vote for the speaker when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3.
