Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn has been elected to House Democratic Leader for the 118th Congress. On the Nov. 8 ballot, he was up against Republican candidate Yuri Dashevsky in the general election where he won 72.4% of the vote, announced on Nov. 30.
He will be succeeding Speaker Nancy Pelosi and will also be the first Black congressional leader.
"There is no better advocate for our Democratic values than Brooklyn's own Representative Hakeem Jeffries," Governor Kathy Hochul said.
"From his time in the State Assembly to his current tenure in Congress, Representative Jeffries has been fighting for the people — for our democracy, for public safety, for criminal justice reform, and for the communities he serves."
Jeffries represents Brooklyn's eighth district which includes east and south Brooklyn. To read about his recent impact on the district, click here.
"I congratulate Representative Jeffries on his historic election as House Democratic Leader, a major achievement that will usher in a new era of leadership for the 118th Congress. I am proud to call Representative Jeffries a friend and am confident he will continue to be an unwavering partner as we work together to get things done for New Yorkers. New Yorkers — and all Americans — are lucky to have Representative Jeffries in their corner," Hochul said.
Jefferies issued the following statement post-election: “For the past five terms, it has been my great honor to serve in the Congress working alongside colleagues from all across this country.
Today, with immense pride, I stood in front of the House Democratic Caucus as a candidate for Democratic Leader, and I am eternally grateful for the trust my colleagues placed in me with their votes. It is a solemn responsibility that myself, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar are inheriting, and we will lean in hard and do the work with the seriousness and solemnity the moment requires. We stand on the shoulders of historic individuals, including our iconic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, our resolute Leader Steny Hoyer and our historic Majority Whip James E. Clyburn.
I am particularly humbled to be accepting this honor alongside my friends and partners in leadership, incoming Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and incoming Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar. Katherine represents another important crack in the glass ceiling, a trailblazer in the tradition of Speaker Pelosi. She makes all of us feel seen and heard and will work tirelessly to support our Democratic Caucus. I have watched how Pete brings people together to get things done, rolling up his sleeves as only a former Mayor can do. Katherine, Pete and I will work closely together fighting hard for everyday Americans.
Over the last few years, House Democrats have delivered extraordinary results for the American People. We are going to continue to put People Over Politics and fight for all our values. House Democrats will lift up working families, the middle class and those who aspire to be part of it, young people and senior citizens, veterans, the poor, the sick and the afflicted and the least, the lost and the left behind.
We will look for common ground with Republicans whenever and wherever possible, but oppose extremism on the other side of the aisle whenever necessary.
Democrats, at our best, fight For The People. That's not a slogan, that's a way of life, and we are just getting started. Onward.”
Jefferies was born in Brooklyn Hospital and raised in Crown Heights. His parents were middle class public employees and lived in a working class neighborhood in the midst of the crack cocaine epidemic.
“Growing up in that Crown Heights neighborhood, the first Member of Congress I was ever aware of was the Honorable Shirley Chisholm and I eventually was able to be elected to represent many neighborhoods in Brooklyn that she formerly represented,” he explained.
“I stand on the shoulders of people like Shirley Chisholm and so many others as we work to advance the ball for everyday Americans and get stuff done, because that's what Democrats do.That's our story. That's our legacy. That's our values. That's our commitment as we move forward. Get stuff done. Make life better for everyday Americans," Jefferies concluded.
