Hakeem Jeffries Set to Become First Black Speaker of the House

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is positioned to become the first Black member elected to the role of speaker of the House. He helped deliver a decisive victory for House Democrats in the midterm elections held on Nov. 3, 2026. The House will hold a floor vote for the position when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3, 2027.

Jeffries has served as House minority leader since 2022. He is the first Black politician to lead either party in the House or Senate. As speaker, he would be second in the presidential line of succession, following the vice president. This role marks the end of his nearly 14-year tenure in the chamber.

The New York representative first entered Congress in 2013. He represented parts of Brooklyn during that time. Before his federal service, Jeffries served for six years in the New York State Assembly. He worked to regulate warrantless stop-and-frisk searches by the New York City Police Department.

Jeffries described the midterm result as a mandate for dramatic change. "This is a change election, and we understand as House Democrats that we need to deliver dramatic change," he said on Tuesday night. "Things are broken. We need a Congress that puts the American people first."

His legislative career includes leading the effort to pass the bipartisan First Step Act during the first Trump administration. That law reduced sentences for some drug crimes. The effort required close coordination with Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of then-President Donald Trump.

Jeffries acknowledged the unusual nature of that partnership. "To get things done in this town you need a coalition of unusual suspects," he told Time. "There was a real partnership [with Kushner] that produced real results," he added.

The lawmaker faced criticism from some within his party this year for meeting privately with Kushner. The New York Times first reported the meeting, and Jeffries later confirmed it. He stated he took the meeting at Kushner's request to discuss affordability. He noted that Democrats intend to hold the administration accountable.

As speaker, Jeffries must manage a diverse and fractious House Democratic caucus. He will contend with a growing group of members aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America. He previously identified as a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and sponsored Medicare for All proposals.

Jeffries has distinguished his political approach from that of the far-left flank. "Hard-left progressives tend to view the defining problem in America as one that is anchored in class. That is not my experience as a Black man in this country," he said. He added that Black progressives tackle issues with an understanding that systemic racism has been in the soil of America for over 400 years.

The new Congress is focused on lowering costs for Americans. Jeffries has not committed to pursuing impeachment of President Donald Trump in his second term. He told Fox News in April that it was not a top priority. In September, he told ABC that Democrats have not ruled anything in or out.