Hakeem Jeffries stands to become the House’s first Black speaker

Republicans are scheduled to hold House leadership elections on Nov. 10 to choose their leaders in the minority after what NPR described as a bruising defeat for the party. NPR reported that Speaker Mike Johnson does not plan to remain Republican leader in the new Congress, citing a source familiar with his plans who was not authorized to discuss them publicly. Johnson’s decision will open the top House leadership position in the minority, and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the presumptive next speaker, would make history as the first Black lawmaker elected to the position.

Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, served two terms as speaker after his predecessor, California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, was ousted in 2023. NPR reported that he worked closely with the Trump administration throughout his tenure as speaker and endured the balancing act of trying to keep his conference united with the narrowest of majorities. His razor-thin majority meant even one Republican defection put GOP priorities at risk.

The president’s party historically loses seats in midterm elections. NPR reported that the blue wave soared past the expectations of many in Washington, flipping seats in traditionally red states that the president has won previously.

Johnson nodded to that history in remarks Tuesday night. “From the first day of this election, we knew that to keep the House and sustain our majority, we would have to defy more than a century of midterm history. It’s only happened twice in 90 years that a sitting president has picked up or held seats for his party in that first two-year cycle. There’s a lot of reasons for it. It’s very, very difficult to overcome, and it looks like history will be kept tonight,” he said.

NPR reported that the dynamic Johnson faced will not be replicated for the presumptive next House speaker, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York. A handful of lawmakers elected with support from the Democratic Socialists of America are eager to push their party further to the left. Even so, NPR reported that Jeffries’ comfortable margin means he will likely be able to achieve his priorities even with defections.

Jeffries’ speakership would be history-making, according to NPR: he would be the first Black lawmaker elected to the position.