Hakeem Jeffries Set to Become First Black Speaker of the House

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is positioned to become the first Black member elected to the office of Speaker of the House. Following a decisive victory for House Democrats in the midterm elections, Jeffries will step into the role that places him second in the presidential line of succession, directly behind the vice president.

Jeffries has served in the House for nearly 14 years, representing parts of Brooklyn since 2013. His career began as a rank-and-file member focused on criminal justice policy before he became a top lieutenant to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and was elected House minority leader in 2022. He is the first Black politician to lead either major party in the House or Senate.

His rise to the top of the House leadership required securing support from a diverse and often fractious Democratic caucus. Jeffries noted on Tuesday night that the election results mandate a shift in government direction. "This is a change election, and we understand as House Democrats that we need to deliver dramatic change," Jeffries said. "Things are broken. We need a Congress that puts the American people first."

Before entering Congress, Jeffries worked as a lawyer in private practice and served six years in the New York State Assembly. During that state-level tenure, he worked to regulate warrantless stop-and-frisk searches by the New York City Police Department. In Washington, he led the effort to pass the bipartisan First Step Act, which reduced sentences for specific drug crimes.

The First Step Act required close cooperation with Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former President Donald Trump. Jeffries described the alliance as a "coalition of unusual suspects" that produced real results. He faced internal criticism earlier this year for meeting privately with Kushner to discuss affordability, but he maintained that the meeting was requested by Kushner and that Democrats intend to hold the administration accountable.

As the new Congress prepares to convene, Jeffries must manage a growing number of members aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America. He has stated that he does not view class as the defining problem in America, noting that his experience as a Black man shapes his focus on systemic racism. "There will never be a moment where I bend the knee to hard-left democratic socialism," Jeffries told The Atlantic in 2021.

The House will hold a floor vote for the speaker position on Jan. 3. Jeffries has said that lowering costs for Americans remains the primary focus for the new legislative term, while Democrats have not yet ruled out future impeachment proceedings.