Hakeem Jeffries Poised to Become First Black Speaker of the House
Hakeem Jeffries is on track to make history as the first Black speaker of the House after Democrats won back the majority in Tuesday's midterm elections.
The 56-year-old Brooklyn congressman, who has led House Democrats since January 2023, is expected to have his caucus's support when the new Congress convenes in January. If elected by the full House, he would be the first African American to hold the post in the chamber's 237-year history.
Democrats Retake the House
Democrats are projected to have won at least the 218 seats needed for a majority, with NBC News projecting they could win as many as 244, according to TheGrio.
The House win came on a strong night for Democrats overall, as the party also flipped the Senate with a string of upsets in states like Texas, Kansas and South Carolina.
The midterms were widely seen as a test of Trump's second term. Voters went to the polls concerned about affordability, tariffs and the economic effects of the U.S. war with Iran, which has pushed up fuel prices, and Trump's approval ratings had fallen sharply ahead of the election, according to the Kyiv Post. Exit polls put his approval at 38%, according to CBS News.
Jeffries would replace Republican Speaker Mike Johnson. As speaker, he would be second in the presidential line of succession, behind the vice president.
"This Is Not a Partisan Moment"
Speaking at a Democratic gathering on election night, Jeffries called the results a mandate for change. "This is not a partisan moment. This is a patriotic one," he said, according to ABC News.
"The American people are crying out for transformational change," Jeffries added.
He has promised an ambitious agenda focused on lowering costs for families and increasing oversight of the Trump administration. Democrats campaigned on health care costs, housing affordability and tariffs, and some members have called for investigations into the Trump family's business ties and the Epstein files, as well as reversing cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.
Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist and Jeffries adviser, said the incoming speaker is ready. "He's prepared for the moment," Seawright told TheGrio. "He's going to supersede expectations."
Who Is Hakeem Jeffries?
Jeffries represents a district in Brooklyn, New York, and became the first Black leader of either party in Congress when House Democrats chose him to succeed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2023. He is known for his sharp speaking style, as well as his love of hip-hop and sneakers.
Seawright said Jeffries will "deliver on the promises he's made to the American people, which is the Brooklyn way."
A Divided Government Ahead
With Democrats in control of Congress, the next two years could bring clashes with President Donald Trump. A Democratic House will gain control of committees and investigative powers, including the ability to subpoena and investigate within the federal government.
Before the election, Trump warned that he would "probably become Mr. Veto" if Democrats won, though he added that "at some point, we'll probably make deals." After the results came in, Trump congratulated Democrats and said he looked forward to working with them "for the good of our country," while also signaling he would use his veto power.
Johnson, who became speaker in 2023 after Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy, had predicted his party would hold on. "It's not going to be a giant majority," he told The Associated Press in October. "But I genuinely believe that we will have a working majority."
The new Congress will be sworn in on Jan. 3, 2027, when the full House is expected to vote on its next speaker.
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