Brooklyn Congress Member Hakeem Jeffries was formally elected House Democratic Leader Wednesday morning during a vote of the House Democratic Conference, making history as the first African American top Democrat in Washington’s lower chamber.
It was clear that Jeffries would be the most likely replacement for outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California), as soon as she announced she wouldn’t be seeking reelection as the chamber’s leading Democrat earlier this month. Jeffries is set to become the House Democratic Minority Leader for the 118th Congress at the start of the new year.
