Hakeem Jeffries launches bid to become US House Speaker
Hakeem Jeffries has asked fellow Democrats to back his bid to become Speaker of the US House, a role he is widely expected to secure after his party’s midterm victory. The new Congress will elect its Speaker on 3 January.
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Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries has formally launched his bid to become Speaker after his party won control of the chamber in the US midterm elections. He is widely expected to win the post, but the House must elect its Speaker when the new Congress convenes on 3 January.
Jeffries asked colleagues for their support in a letter on Wednesday, according to Axios. He wrote that Democrats must deliver “the dramatic change the American people are demanding in the majority” and said he wanted the caucus to focus on affordability, accountability and American values.
The New York congressman has led the House Democratic caucus since 2022. If elected Speaker, he would be the first African American to hold the position.
Some incoming Democrats have not committed to backing him, but Axios reports that he is not expected to face serious opposition. The election itself has not yet taken place.
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