Hakeem Jeffries aims to become House Democratic leader



House Democratic caucus chair Hakeem Jeffries is seeking to secure the role of House Democratic leader.

Republicans won the House majority during the 2022 midterms, which means that the next speaker of the House will almost certainly be a Republican. Current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Thursday that she will not pursue reelection to Democratic leadership. Pelosi, a California Democrat who has served as a House lawmaker for more than three decades, is the only woman ever to serve as House speaker. She plans to continue serving as a lawmaker in Congress.

Jeffries, a lawmaker from New York who has served in the chamber since 2013, has called Pelosi "the G.O.A.T," which is an acronym that stands for "greatest of all time," and he issued a statement describing Pelosi as "the most accomplished Speaker" in the nation's history.

\u201cSpeaker Nancy Pelosi is the G.O.A.T.\n\nThank you for all that you have done for America.\u201d
— Hakeem Jeffries (@Hakeem Jeffries) 1668706597

In a letter to colleagues, Jeffries asked for fellow Democrats to back his bid to become House Democratic leader.

"House Democrats are actually the party that defends freedom, promotes economic opportunity and values families by uplifting them," Jeffries wrote. "We must make sure that the perception of the Democratic brand matches up with the reality that we do in fact authentically share values that unite the Heartland, Urban America, Rural America, Suburban America and Small Town America."

Pelosi issued a statement expressing her support for Jeffries and two other figures seeking other Democratic leadership slots — Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark, a Democrat from Massachusetts, is seeking to become Democratic whip, and House Democratic caucus vice chair Pete Aguilar, a California lawmaker, is seeking to become Democratic caucus chair.

"Yesterday, I said on the Floor that the time has come for a new generation to lead our magnificent House Democratic Caucus. It is with pride, gratitude and confidence in their abilities that I salute Chairman Hakeem Jeffries, Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark and Vice Chairman Pete Aguilar for being ready and willing to assume this awesome responsibility," Pelosi said in the statement. "In the 118th Congress, House Democrats will be led by a trio that reflects our beautiful diversity of our nation. Chair Jeffries, Assistant Speaker Clark and Vice Chair Aguilar know that, in our Caucus, diversity is our strength and unity is our power."

\u201cIn the 118th Congress, House Democrats will be led by a trio that reflects our beautiful diversity of our nation. Chair Jeffries, Assistant Speaker Clark and Vice Chair Aguilar know that, in our Caucus, diversity is our strength and unity is our power.\u201d
— Nancy Pelosi (@Nancy Pelosi) 1668796801

House Democratic Caucus chair declares that 'Ghosts of the confederacy are alive and well'



Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York claimed that the specter of the confederacy lives on today.

"The Supreme Court majority has zero legitimacy. Ghosts of the confederacy are alive and well," Jeffries tweeted.

The Supreme Court majority has zero legitimacy.\n\nGhosts of the confederacy are alive and well.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@Hakeem Jeffries) 1644296460

Jeffries, who serves as the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, was likely sounding off in response to the Supreme Court's move which will allow Alabama's new congressional district map to remain in place at least for now.

A lower court had blocked the state from using its new map and declared that "any remedial plan will need to include two districts in which Black voters either comprise a voting-age majority or something quite close to it."

The high court was split 5-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts and the three liberal justices dissenting. But the move to stay the lower court's decision does not mark the Supreme Court's final say on the matter.

"The stay will allow this Court to decide the merits in an orderly fashion—after full briefing, oral argument, and our usual extensive internal deliberations—and ensure that we do not have to decide the merits on the emergency docket. To reiterate: The Court’s stay order is not a decision on the merits," Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was joined by Justice Samuel Alito, noted.

Rep. Jeffries' inflammatory tweet drew attention on social media.

Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas responded by saying that "Ironically, the 'confederate ghosts' are all Democrats."

"When you see demonizing language like this from prominent Democrats don’t be surprised that, when they have power, they wield it to relentlessly censor you, control you, indoctrinate your children & subordinate your rights and liberties to their lust for authority. Vote them out," Stephen Miller tweeted.

When you see demonizing language like this from prominent Democrats don\u2019t be surprised that, when they have power, they wield it to relentlessly censor you, control you, indoctrinate your children & subordinate your rights and liberties to their lust for authority. Vote them out.https://twitter.com/repjeffries/status/1490913530928795648\u00a0\u2026
— Stephen Miller (@Stephen Miller) 1644344471