House Democrats Elect Jeffries As Congress First Black Party Leader

Washington -

House Democrats on Wednesday chose Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y) to lead them in the next Congress and Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands) Calif. to lead the Democratic caucus on the chamber.

Jeffries' historic election as the new minority leader means that in January, Rep. James E. He will replace Clyburn (DSC) as the top African-American member of the House of Representatives, becoming the first black lawmaker to lead one or the other. Parties. Room

In addition to Aguilar, Rep. Kathryn Clark (D-Mass.) Jeffries is expected to join the top leadership as minority leader.

Democrats say their new leadership team reflects America's diversity.

Clark will be only the second woman in congressional history.

Aguilar will succeed Xavier Becerra of California and Robert Menendez of New Jersey as the third Hispanic member to lead the Democratic caucus. Becerra is now the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and Mendez is a member of the Senate.

In this role, Aguilar chairs caucus meetings and conducts weekly press conferences. The seat is limited to two consecutive terms, but Aguilar would be on track to ensure a landslide in 2024 when Democrats take over the House of Representatives.

The new group of Democratic leaders will replace a trinity of leaders that includes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and current Majority Whip Kliber.

This group of octogenarians will continue to serve until the next convention, although only Clyburn will remain at the helm and serve as the Democratic vice president.

However, on Tuesday night, the Democratic Leadership and Political Affairs Committee voted unanimously to award Pelosi the honorary title of Distinguished Professor.

Jeffries, 52, of Brooklyn, was an attorney before serving six years in the New York State Assembly before resigning after winning a congressional seat in late 2012.

In 2017, he joined House Democratic leadership as chairman of the House Democratic Communications and Politics Committee, working on caucus messaging.

In the year He became caucus chair in 2019, serving two terms, chairing caucus meetings and holding weekly press conferences with Vice President Aguilar.

Jeffries is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, but in an interview with The Atlantic last year, he broke with the "hard left" wing of his party.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) told reporters Wednesday that she had met with Jeffries and said she supports his leadership.

"I wanted to make sure the connection was clear from the beginning: progressives to help govern, to push better ideas forward, and what I heard really encouraged me," he said. "I hope to have a very good relationship."

As an advocate for social and economic justice, one of Jeffries' legislative accomplishments is the nonpartisan First Action Act, the criminal justice reform bill passed by President Trump.

Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar will lead House Democrats with the blessing of the outgoing leadership team and personal challenges. But members say they will face the challenge of replacing a veteran leader from Pelosi and her leadership team.

"The thin majority made it look easy, but it's not," said Rep. Anna Esho (D-Atherton), who House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff called Pelosi "irreplaceable." Atherton). Burbank).

"People will see what a miracle it was, how difficult this work is, that it requires an encyclopedic knowledge of each person's needs and desires, what they want and need," Schiff said.

Rep. Ro Cana (D-Fremont) acknowledged that Jeffries has an important role to fill, and Pelosi will play an important role in recruiting, fundraising and party support.

"It will be open to give the public a real opportunity to lead and cooperate with the faction," he said. "However, it will quickly become clear how much Nancy Pelosi has accomplished in this caucus and how difficult this task will be."

Jeffries' supporters believe he is fed up. Retiring Rep. GK Butterfield (DN.C.), the former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said he has known Jeffries since his first day in Congress.

Butterfield predicted that Jeffries would "go down in history as one of the greatest Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives."

"He's a man of impeccable character," Butterfield said. "He's a role model. And he has political skills that are not available at lower levels. He has the ability to sit in boardrooms and participate in high-level political debates and make disproportionate contributions. And he also has the ability to connect with the average American. To the people around us and the people who fill his positions every day. A lot of talent. it has"

The start of Jeffries' leadership may be a little easier, with Democrats no longer dominating the legislative agenda.