Hakeem Jeffries is poised to become the first Black Speaker of the US House after Democrats won control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms
The New York Democrat has represented Brooklyn in Congress since 2013 and became House Democratic leader in 2022, succeeding Nancy Pelosi
His formal election as Speaker will take place when the 120th Congress convenes in January 2027, marking a historic milestone in congressional representation
Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, is poised to become the first Black Speaker of the US House of Representatives after Democrats won control of the chamber in the US midterm elections. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi congratulated him on the victory, describing him as the party’s “next Speaker” and saying his elevation would make history.
Pelosi, who became the first woman to hold the position in January 2007, noted that Jeffries would take the gavel exactly 20 years later. However, he has not yet been formally elected. The new House must choose its Speaker when the 120th Congress convenes in January 2027.
Who Is Hakeem Jeffries?
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 4, 1970, Jeffries is 56 and represents New York’s Eighth Congressional District. He is serving his seventh term in the House and is currently the highest-ranking Democrat in the chamber.
Jeffries studied at Binghamton University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1992, before completing a Master of Public Policy at Georgetown University in 1994 and a law degree at New York University in 1997. He worked as a lawyer before entering electoral politics, serving in the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012. He was elected to the US House in 2012 and took office in January 2013.
He became chair of the House Democratic Caucus in 2019 and held the position through 2022. In November that year, Democratic lawmakers elected him to succeed Pelosi as their leader. He was unanimously re-elected to the post in 2024. In 2020, he was also among the seven House members appointed to manage the first impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.
Why Would His Election Be Historic?
The House has had Black lawmakers for more than 150 years. Joseph Rainey of South Carolina became the first Black representative when he was sworn in on December 12, 1870. But no Black lawmaker has held the Speaker’s office. Jeffries’ election would mark another milestone in Black representation in the institution.
The Speaker is elected by the full membership of the House at the beginning of each new Congress. The office presides over the chamber and leads the majority party, giving its holder a central role in setting the House’s legislative direction. Jeffries’ expected elevation therefore depends on securing the required votes when lawmakers assemble in January.
