Brooklyn Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Reelected As House Democratic Leader

BROOKLYN, NY — Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who represents Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, East New York, Canarsie, Sheepshead Bay and Coney Island, was reelected as Democratic House Leader in the private balloting of House Democrats on Tuesday.

Jeffries, 54, was first elected to Congress in 2013, but before that, the Brooklynite was a New York State assemblymember from 2007-2012.

With Republicans controlling the House and the Senate, Jeffries said it was important to "push back against any effort at extremism that we see from the House Republican Conference or from the incoming administration," when he announced his reelection.

This reelection makes Jeffries, once again, the highest-ranking Black elected official in Congress.

"We are prepared to work hard to find bipartisan common ground with our Republican colleagues and the incoming administration on any issue, whenever and wherever possible. But at the same period of time, we will push back against far-right extremism whenever necessary," Jeffries said.

In Congress, the party leader acts as the spokesperson of the group, as a coalition-builder and as an administrator.

The party leader is the party's nomination to be the speaker of the House, who would act as an emissary to the president.

However, with Republicans in control of the House, the House speaker role is expected to go to Congressman Mike Johnson.

"We're hopeful that the incoming administration is prepared to join us in that effort to truly make the American dream available and accessible to everyone," Jeffries said.