Nobody wants to run against Hakeem Jeffries for speaker
The movement to prevent House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) from becoming speaker is struggling to get off the ground due to a fatal flaw: Nobody else wants the job. Why it matters: Despite the phone calls and online petitions, the demands from progressive holdouts, Jeffries' ascent has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The House Democrats most often floated as potential challengers…
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is set to become speaker without opposition, despite efforts to rally against him. Progressive Democrats like Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) have not declared their intentions to run, with Pressley expressing that her "dream job" is to chair the House Judiciary Committee.
Rep. Randy Villegas (D-Calif.) noted that there are no declared challengers, while Rep.-elect Don Leonard (D-Ohio) and Rep.-elect Melat Kiros (D-Colo.) reported receiving numerous calls urging them to oppose Jeffries. However, Jeffries dismissed these claims, stating that there is no indication that members have been overwhelmed by calls for opposition.
The Democratic leader has been meeting with skeptics ahead of the House Democrats' November leadership elections, which he is expected to win.
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