4 things to know about Pelosi's likely successor Hakeem Jeffries

House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks at a news conference in the U.S. Capitol on June 14, 2022, in Washington, D.C. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Just a day after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced that she would step down from her role as leader of House Democrats, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has emerged as the top candidate to take her position.

Pelosi, 82, has held the role of the top Democrat in the House of Representatives for two decades, serving as speaker of the House from 2007-2011 and again from 2019-2023. Her Thursday announcement on the House floor came a day after most media outlets projected that the Republican Party will gain control of the lower chamber of Congress in 2023.

On Friday, Jeffries sent a letter to colleagues seeking "support for the position of House Democratic Leader." Jeffries, 52, has represented New York's Brooklyn-based 8th Congressional District since 2012 and has served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus since 2019. He previously worked as a corporate lawyer and as a state lawmaker.

If a majority of House Democrats support his leadership bid, Jeffries will become the first African American to lead a political party in U.S. Congress.

The following pages highlight four things to know about the man seeking to become the next House Democratic leader.

Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com

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