Nationwide — Hakeem Jeffries is preparing to make history as the first African American person to be Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The New York congressman is expected to take over the leadership role after Democrats won control of the House in the 2026 midterm elections.
Democrats will officially take charge when the new Congress begins in January 2027. Jeffries, who has served as the party’s House leader since 2022, is expected to become their nominee for speaker. However, he must still secure enough votes from members of the full House to win the position. If elected, he will succeed Republican Mike Johnson.
The Speaker of the House holds considerable power in Congress. The position oversees House proceedings, helps determine which bills receive consideration, and sets the chamber’s legislative priorities. The Speaker also ranks second in the presidential line of succession, following the vice president. Despite the office’s long history, no Black lawmaker has ever held the position.
Jeffries has built his political career over more than a decade. A Brooklyn native, he first won a seat in Congress in 2012 and began representing parts of Brooklyn and Queens the following year. Before entering the U.S. House, he served in the New York State Assembly and worked as a corporate lawyer. He earned degrees from the State University of New York at Binghamton, Georgetown University, and New York University School of Law, according to NBC New York.
His leadership career reached another milestone in November 2022, when House Democrats unanimously chose him to replace Nancy Pelosi as their leader. That decision made him the first Black lawmaker to lead a major political party in either chamber of Congress. He officially took over as House minority leader in January 2023, after Republicans won control of the chamber.
As speaker, Jeffries would also have to manage a diverse Democratic caucus and work with lawmakers who have different priorities. His leadership team includes Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, who are expected to hold senior positions under the new Democratic leadership. He has identified lowering living costs, making healthcare more affordable, and overseeing the Trump administration as key priorities. His expected election would come more than 150 years after Joseph Rainey became the first Black American elected to the House in 1870, marking another significant step in Black representation in the federal government.