House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has officially announced his candidacy for Speaker of the House in the upcoming Congress. The announcement follows significant gains by Democrats in the recent midterm elections, where the party regained control of both the House and the Senate.
Jeffries informed House Democrats in a letter Wednesday, expressing his humble request for their support in his bid for the speakership. He addressed reporters on Wednesday alongside House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., confirming his intention to run for the leadership role.
Clark and Aguilar also indicated their intentions to pursue the second and third highest positions within the House leadership.
Democrats are projected to hold a significant majority, with 237 seats compared to the GOP's 139 at the time of reporting, though 59 races remain too close to call. Jeffries anticipates a Democratic presence of 255 or more members in the House next year.
In his letter, Jeffries highlighted past achievements and outlined his vision for the next two years. He pledged to seek bipartisan common ground on affordability issues and criticized the Republican party's handling of the rising cost of living, stating that "toxic GOP policies like the Trump tariffs and war in Iran have done the exact opposite" of lowering costs.
Jeffries also vowed to pursue accountability for the Trump administration, asserting that the House "will assume its place as a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch."