On Wednesday, Congresswoman Terri Sewell nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY08) to serve as the next Democratic Leader in the House of Representatives. During a Democratic Caucus meeting this morning, Sewell and several of her colleagues placed the name of in nomination and spoke in support of his candidacy to succeed Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the new Democratic Leader.
“I have gotten to know Hakeem Jeffries since he came to Congress in 2013, and I am confident that he is the right person to lead our caucus during this season of change,” Sewell stated in a press release. “Hakeem Jeffries is a skillful strategist, a master communicator, a pragmatic progressive, a visionary legislator, a criminal justice reformer, a dogmatic defender of our Democracy, a bodacious bridge builder, and a fierce fighter for our families, children, veterans, dreamers, workers, and our seniors. I was proud to nominate him to be our next Democratic Leader and look forward to seeing him make history as the first African American to ever lead either party in the House!”
Jeffries has represented New York’s 8th Congressional District since 2013 and currently serves as Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. He is poised to become the first African American to lead either party in the House of Representatives in American history.
Rep. Jeffries stated on Facebook, “Humbled to be elected incoming House Democratic Leader. Look forward to partnering with Katherine, Pete and the entire House Democratic Caucus. Ready to get to work #ForThePeople.”
Because Democrats narrowly lost control of the House of Representatives in the November 8 midterm elections, the next Speaker of the House is likely to be a Republican. Following the election results, Speaker Pelosi announced that she would be stepping down as the Democratic leader rather than accepting the role of minority leader.
The number two Democratic Leader in the House Steny Hoyer is also stepping down from his leadership role, creating a power vacuum that Jeffries filled with his election today.
Sewell is the only Democrat in the Alabama Congressional Delegation and the only Black woman to represent Alabama in Congress in the state’s history. She was just reelected to her seventh term representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District.
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