Jeffries wins historic bid to steer House Dems after Pelosi
9 min readBy Associated Press
WASHINGTON: Emboldened House Democrats ushered in a brand new era of leaders on Wednesday with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries elected to be the primary Black American to go a significant political get together in Congress as long-serving Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her group step apart subsequent yr.
Showing uncommon get together unity after their midterm election losses, the House Democrats moved seamlessly from one history-making chief to a different, selecting the 52-year-old New Yorker, who has vowed to “get things done,” even after Republicans received management of the chamber. The closed-door vote was unanimous, by acclamation.
“It’s a solemn responsibility that we are all inheriting,” Jeffries advised reporters on the eve of the get together assembly. “And the best thing that we can do as a result of the seriousness and solemnity of the moment is lean in hard and do the best damn job that we can for the people.”
It’s uncommon {that a} get together that misplaced the midterm elections would so simply regroup and stands in stark distinction with the upheaval amongst Republicans, who’re struggling to unite round GOP chief Kevin McCarthy as the brand new House speaker as they put together to take management when the brand new Congress convenes in January.
Wednesday’s inner Democratic caucus votes of Jeffries and the opposite prime leaders got here with out challengers. Cheers broke out after the elections.
The trio led by Jeffries, who will turn out to be the Democratic minority chief within the new Congress, contains 59-year-old Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts because the Democratic whip and 43-year-old Rep. Pete Aguilar of California as caucus chairman. The new group of Democratic leaders is anticipated to slip into the slots held by Pelosi and her prime lieutenants — Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Democratic Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina — because the 80-something leaders make means for the following era.
But in some ways, the trio has been transitioning in plain sight, as one aide put it — Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar working with Pelosi’s nod these previous a number of years in lower-rung management roles as the primary girl to have the speaker’s gavel ready to step down. Pelosi, of California, has led the House Democrats for the previous 20 years, and colleagues late Tuesday granted her the honorific title of “speaker emerita.”
“It an important moment for the caucus — that there’s a new generation of leadership,” mentioned Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., forward of voting.
Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri referred to as the management election “historic” and a “time for change.”
While Democrats will probably be relegated to the House minority within the new yr for the 118th Congress, they may have a specific amount of leverage as a result of the Republican majority is anticipated to be so slim and McCarthy’s maintain on his get together fragile.
The House’s two new potential leaders, Jeffries and McCarthy, are of the identical era however have nearly no actual relationship to talk of — in reality the Democrat is understood for leveling political barbs on the Republican from afar, significantly over the GOP’s embrace of former President Donald Trump. Jeffries served as a House supervisor throughout Trump’s first impeachment.
“We’re still working through the implications of Trumpism,” Jeffries mentioned, “and what it has meant, as a very destabilizing force for American democracy.”
Jeffries mentioned he hopes to search out “common ground when possible” with Republicans however will “oppose their extremism when we must.”
On the opposite facet of the Capitol, Jeffries could have a accomplice in Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as two New Yorkers are poised to helm the Democratic management in Congress. They reside a few mile (1.6 kilometers) aside in Brooklyn.
“There are going to be a group, in my judgment, of mainstream Republicans who are not going to want to go in the MAGA direction, and Hakeem’s the ideal type guy to work with them,” Schumer mentioned in an interview, referencing Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.
Jeffries has typically been met with skepticism from get together progressives, seen as a extra centrist determine amongst House Democrats.
But Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a progressive and a part of the “squad” of liberal lawmakers, mentioned she has been heartened by the best way Jeffries and his group are reaching out, although they face no challengers.
“There’s a genuine sense that he wants to develop relationships and working partnerships with many of us,” she mentioned.
Clark, within the No. 2 spot, is seen as a coalition builder on the management group, whereas Aguilar, because the third-ranking chief, is called a behind-the-scenes conduit to centrists and even Republicans.
Clyburn, now the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, is searching for to turn out to be the assistant democratic chief, retaining a seat on the management desk and serving to the brand new era to transition.
But Clyburn faces an surprising problem from Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., who’s overtly homosexual and argued Wednesday in a letter to colleagues that House Democrats ought to “fully respect the diversity of our caucus and the American people by including an LGBTQ+ member at the leadership table.”
The election for the assistant chief publish and several other others is anticipated to be held Thursday.
Jeffries’ ascent comes as a milestone for Black Americans, the Capitol constructed with the labor of enslaved folks and its dome later expanded throughout Abraham Lincoln’s presidency as a logo the nation would stand in the course of the Civil War.
His Brooklyn-area district was as soon as represented by Shirley Chisholm, the primary Black girl elected to Congress, who was born on the identical day as his election, Nov. 30, 1924.
“The thing about Pete, Katherine and myself is that we embrace what the House represents,” Jeffries mentioned, calling it “the institution closest to the people.”
While the House Democrats are sometimes a giant, numerous, “noisy family,” he mentioned, “it’s a good thing.” He mentioned, “At the end of the day, we’re always committed to finding the highest common denominator in order to get big things done for everyday Americans.”
WASHINGTON: Emboldened House Democrats ushered in a brand new era of leaders on Wednesday with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries elected to be the primary Black American to go a significant political get together in Congress as long-serving Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her group step apart subsequent yr.
Showing uncommon get together unity after their midterm election losses, the House Democrats moved seamlessly from one history-making chief to a different, selecting the 52-year-old New Yorker, who has vowed to “get things done,” even after Republicans received management of the chamber. The closed-door vote was unanimous, by acclamation.
“It’s a solemn responsibility that we are all inheriting,” Jeffries advised reporters on the eve of the get together assembly. “And the best thing that we can do as a result of the seriousness and solemnity of the moment is lean in hard and do the best damn job that we can for the people.”
It’s uncommon {that a} get together that misplaced the midterm elections would so simply regroup and stands in stark distinction with the upheaval amongst Republicans, who’re struggling to unite round GOP chief Kevin McCarthy as the brand new House speaker as they put together to take management when the brand new Congress convenes in January.
Wednesday’s inner Democratic caucus votes of Jeffries and the opposite prime leaders got here with out challengers. Cheers broke out after the elections.
The trio led by Jeffries, who will turn out to be the Democratic minority chief within the new Congress, contains 59-year-old Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts because the Democratic whip and 43-year-old Rep. Pete Aguilar of California as caucus chairman. The new group of Democratic leaders is anticipated to slip into the slots held by Pelosi and her prime lieutenants — Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Democratic Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina — because the 80-something leaders make means for the following era.
But in some ways, the trio has been transitioning in plain sight, as one aide put it — Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar working with Pelosi’s nod these previous a number of years in lower-rung management roles as the primary girl to have the speaker’s gavel ready to step down. Pelosi, of California, has led the House Democrats for the previous 20 years, and colleagues late Tuesday granted her the honorific title of “speaker emerita.”
“It an important moment for the caucus — that there’s a new generation of leadership,” mentioned Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., forward of voting.
Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri referred to as the management election “historic” and a “time for change.”
While Democrats will probably be relegated to the House minority within the new yr for the 118th Congress, they may have a specific amount of leverage as a result of the Republican majority is anticipated to be so slim and McCarthy’s maintain on his get together fragile.
The House’s two new potential leaders, Jeffries and McCarthy, are of the identical era however have nearly no actual relationship to talk of — in reality the Democrat is understood for leveling political barbs on the Republican from afar, significantly over the GOP’s embrace of former President Donald Trump. Jeffries served as a House supervisor throughout Trump’s first impeachment.
“We’re still working through the implications of Trumpism,” Jeffries mentioned, “and what it has meant, as a very destabilizing force for American democracy.”
Jeffries mentioned he hopes to search out “common ground when possible” with Republicans however will “oppose their extremism when we must.”
On the opposite facet of the Capitol, Jeffries could have a accomplice in Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as two New Yorkers are poised to helm the Democratic management in Congress. They reside a few mile (1.6 kilometers) aside in Brooklyn.
“There are going to be a group, in my judgment, of mainstream Republicans who are not going to want to go in the MAGA direction, and Hakeem’s the ideal type guy to work with them,” Schumer mentioned in an interview, referencing Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.
Jeffries has typically been met with skepticism from get together progressives, seen as a extra centrist determine amongst House Democrats.
But Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a progressive and a part of the “squad” of liberal lawmakers, mentioned she has been heartened by the best way Jeffries and his group are reaching out, although they face no challengers.
“There’s a genuine sense that he wants to develop relationships and working partnerships with many of us,” she mentioned.
Clark, within the No. 2 spot, is seen as a coalition builder on the management group, whereas Aguilar, because the third-ranking chief, is called a behind-the-scenes conduit to centrists and even Republicans.
Clyburn, now the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, is searching for to turn out to be the assistant democratic chief, retaining a seat on the management desk and serving to the brand new era to transition.
But Clyburn faces an surprising problem from Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., who’s overtly homosexual and argued Wednesday in a letter to colleagues that House Democrats ought to “fully respect the diversity of our caucus and the American people by including an LGBTQ+ member at the leadership table.”
The election for the assistant chief publish and several other others is anticipated to be held Thursday.
Jeffries’ ascent comes as a milestone for Black Americans, the Capitol constructed with the labor of enslaved folks and its dome later expanded throughout Abraham Lincoln’s presidency as a logo the nation would stand in the course of the Civil War.
His Brooklyn-area district was as soon as represented by Shirley Chisholm, the primary Black girl elected to Congress, who was born on the identical day as his election, Nov. 30, 1924.
“The thing about Pete, Katherine and myself is that we embrace what the House represents,” Jeffries mentioned, calling it “the institution closest to the people.”
While the House Democrats are sometimes a giant, numerous, “noisy family,” he mentioned, “it’s a good thing.” He mentioned, “At the end of the day, we’re always committed to finding the highest common denominator in order to get big things done for everyday Americans.”
