Washington — Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries is poised to guide Democrats for one more two years within the minority regardless of the celebration failing to flip management of the decrease chamber within the 2024 election.
Democrats are holding their management elections on Tuesday and are anticipated to assist the New York Democrat with none opposition, because the celebration seeks to maintain its management intact because it reels from the bruising losses within the 2024 elections.
Democratic caucus chair Rep. Pete Aguilar of California was reelected Tuesday morning, and Home Minority Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts can be anticipated to proceed in her position within the 119th Congress, starting in January.
Nonetheless, one race was injected with some uncertainty, as Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas launched an eleventh-hour problem in opposition to Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan for chair of Democratic Coverage and Communications Committee. Dingell was nonetheless seen as the favourite heading into Tuesday’s elections.
Jeffries made historical past in 2023 when he turned the primary Black lawmaker to guide a celebration in Congress, succeeding former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the highest Democrat within the decrease chamber. He was set to once more make historical past as the primary Black speaker had Democrats gained management of the Home.
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Heading into Election Day, Democrats wanted a web acquire of 4 seats to win the bulk. Although Democrats received greater than a handful of Republican-held seats on this month’s election, they misplaced simply as many. The celebration additionally suffered the lack of the Senate and the White Home. As Home Democrats conduct the management elections Tuesday, they’re nonetheless reeling from the outcomes — and reckoning with the trail ahead.
Republicans are anticipated to have a slender majority within the subsequent Congress. President-elect Donald Trump’s collection of a number of Home members to serve in his administration can even briefly squeeze the bulk even additional till these seats are crammed in particular elections.
Jeffries, in an interview with NPR final week, mentioned the slender margins and divisions amongst Home Republicans have successfully made Democrats the bulk in a number of cases.
“Democrats, due to the closeness of the margins, have successfully ruled within the majority, although we’re within the minority. And the identical dynamic will exist as we transfer ahead,” Jeffries mentioned, pointing to quite a few votes to keep away from authorities shutdowns over the previous two years by which Democrats supplied a majority of the votes.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, mentioned final week that he has “begged and pleaded” with Trump to cease poaching Home members for his administration.
Republicans held their management elections final week, backing Johnson for one more time period as speaker. Johnson expressed confidence that he’ll win the speakership within the first spherical of voting on the Home flooring in January.
