Hakeem Jeffries could be the first Black speaker of the House. First, he needs to win
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is crisscrossing the U.S. campaigning to help Democrats retake control of the House of Representatives. If that happens, Jeffries could make history as the first Black speaker, but it’s not something he is ready to talk about yet.
Instead he’s warning voters that the future of democracy and basic rights, like the right to vote, are at risk under a Washington controlled by Republicans. And he’s saying that if House Democrats win the majority, they will protect those rights but also move legislation that addresses the economic squeeze that voters are still feeling.