Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the US House of Representatives, is on course to become the first Black speaker of the chamber after his party won majorities in both the House and Senate in this week's midterm elections, according to TVN24. The 56-year-old New York congressman told supporters on Tuesday evening that "America's great comeback begins today," TVN24 reports, after media projections put the Democrats ahead in both chambers.
The speaker's post is second in the line of presidential succession, behind the vice president, meaning Jeffries could be a heartbeat away from the presidency if his party confirms him in January.
Why it matters
The result hands the Democrats control of Congress during the final two years of Donald Trump's second term, and it elevates a lawmaker who has spent more than a decade in the House to one of the most powerful offices in Washington. TVN24 notes that the speaker stands second in line to the presidency, taking over if the president is unable to carry out his duties because of illness or death.
For Jeffries personally, the prize is historic: no Black lawmaker has ever held the speaker's gavel. He already broke ground in 2023, when he became the first Black minority leader in the House's history, TVN24 reports.
A caucus vote, then a floor vote
Newly elected Democratic House members are due to meet behind closed doors later this month to pick their candidate for speaker, with the full chamber vote set for January, according to TVN24. Reuters, cited by TVN24, reports that many Democratic advisers see no serious challenger to Jeffries.
That does not mean the path is clear. TVN24, citing Reuters, says Jeffries still has work to do to secure backing from the party's progressive left, a group CNN describes as its "activist wing." Those activists argue that current party leaders fail to grasp what left-leaning voters want, and their influence is growing, according to the broadcaster.
CNN, also cited by TVN24, notes that Jeffries — a cautious former corporate lawyer — has drawn criticism from some Democrats who see him as too hesitant. People close to him counter that under Trump he will wield the speaker's gavel firmly, taking on both the administration and large corporations.
Campaign promises and a reputation for consensus
Jeffries has represented New York in the House since 2013 and built a reputation as a consensus-builder, Reuters says, while still knowing "how to land a punch," particularly when rallying supporters, TVN24 reports. At a rally three days before the election, he promised that removing Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth from office would be among the first moves once Democrats held the majority, according to TVN24.
On policy, Jeffries has repeatedly said Democrats will tackle the cost of living, telling audiences that "America is too expensive," TVN24 reports. CNN says his agenda includes raising the minimum wage, new ethics rules for the Supreme Court and curbs on the expansion of artificial intelligence. He would also lead the party in pursuing an aggressive oversight program over the last two years of Trump's term, CNN adds.
In an interview with CNN, Jeffries framed the moment as one of public demand for change: Americans are rightly frustrated and want a break from the status quo and radical reform, he said, according to TVN24.
What to watch: the closed-door Democratic caucus vote later this month, which will show how much resistance Jeffries faces from the party's left before January's floor vote.