Nobody wants to run against Hakeem Jeffries for speaker
The movement to prevent House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) from becoming speaker is struggling to get off the ground due to a fatal flaw: Nobody else wants the job.
Key points
- Jeffries said in a NY1 interview: "Someone could always emerge in the next week or so, but right now there are no declared challengers, no indication that anyone may put themselves forward." The intrigue: For once it's the Senate, not the House, providing all the drama on Capitol Hill.
- Rep.-elect Don Leonard (D-Ohio) told Axios he has gotten an "avalanche of messages." Rep.-elect Melat Kiros (D-Colo.) said she is getting "hundreds" of calls "every day" urging her to oppose Jeffries.
- Jeffries has pushed back on Axios' reporting that members are being flooded with calls, saying in his NY1 interview: "There's no indication that members of Congress have been overwhelmed by any calls." State of play: Jeffries has begun meeting with skeptics ahead of House Democrats' Nov.
Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) told Axios on Thursday when asked if she plans to vote for Jeffries as speaker.
"Congresswoman Pressley is in active conversations with Leader Jeffries about how to leverage this majority, meet the moment, and deliver for the people," spokesperson Ricardo Sanchez said in a statement to Axios.
Additional details
- "We're going to continue to talk to every single member of the House Democratic caucus, both current members and incoming members, about what we all can do together for the American people," Jeffries told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.
- Yes, but: The progressive grassroots have continued this week to swamp sitting and incoming House Democrats with calls and emails urging them to oppose Jeffries, according to lawmakers and aides.
- A senior House Democrat who is supporting Jeffries told Axios the callers into their office have suggested "like 10" different members as possible alternatives.
- Why it matters: Despite the phone calls and online petitions, the demands from progressive holdouts, Jeffries' ascent has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- no one else that has put their name forward." "As far as I've heard, Jeffries is the only person running," said Rep.-elect Randy Villegas (D-Calif.).
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
Advertisement
Every article behind this summary — 1 article from 1 outlet
Get stories like this in your inbox.
Subscribe — it's freeOne free email at 6am — your topics, deduplicated, five minutes. No account, no paywall.