Rep Hakeem Jeffries Set To Become Top Democrat In House Of Representatives

House Democrats will meet today to elect their new leadership group. The trio of Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Pete Aguilar (D-CA) - standing unopposed - will define the future direction of the party after two decades under the stewardship of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC).

• The unity amongst Democrats in support of Jeffries is starkly contrasted with the rancorous infighting surrounding House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) bid to take the Speaker’s gavel from Pelosi.
• Jeffries wrote in a letter announcing his leadership bid: “More must be done to combat inflation, defend our democracy, secure reproductive freedom, welcome new Americans, promote equal protection under the law and improve public safety throughout this country.”
• Centrist Rep Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) said: "I think [Jeffries] really appreciates that we have a diverse caucus with lots of perspectives."
• WaPo: "[The trio] will be faced with ensuring the ideological factions within the caucus are heard and represented in key decisions, a desire members have long had after decades of centralized power wielded by Pelosi."