Hakeem Jeffries devised a strategy to secure the position of speaker, potentially delaying Trump's influence.
In one scenario, the Democratic representative from New York is in the Oval Office with a woman he initially encountered when she was a district attorney and he was a state assemblyman. This man would serve as a major facilitator for Kamala Harris' legislative agenda, a fellow Democrat and contemporary who shares a background in progressive Black politics and a leaning towards centrism.
In another situation, Jeffries is with a New Yorker he previously referred to as a "grand wizard," now describing him as "a significant, detrimental shift to our country's trajectory," whom he believes the racists will need to justify their support for. Facing off against Donald Trump, he knows he will be viewed as a final safeguard for the Democratic Party – and perhaps for democracy itself.
Regardless of the situation, Jeffries feels confident that he will take on the role of the new speaker of the House. Since succeeding Nancy Pelosi as the chamber's Democratic leader, he has been strategically positioning himself for this position, as he conveyed in an exclusive interview with CNN, during a campaign stop in Omaha, Nebraska, a great distance from his Brooklyn home.
The fact that Jeffries is in Omaha, where Democrats are trying to flip a Republican-held House seat, is a testament to the unforeseen circumstances of the current political landscape. Internal polls and calculations suggest that initial aspirations of obtaining a House majority by clinching seats that Joe Biden would have won in 2020 under the current boundaries have dwindled – particularly in California and New York, where many believe the attempts will fall short.
Despite predictions of a House majority, senior Democratic operatives foresee a margin as slim as one seat. Against this backdrop, Jeffries has traversed over 25,000 miles, ranging from campaigns with New York Rep. Pat Ryan in a yarmulke to meetings with Orthodox Jewish leaders, to attending a voting rights roundtable in Pennsylvania, and even taking part in a Black small-business roundtable in Omaha, where he purchased a pair of vibrant blue-striped socks and hinted at his future ambitions.
The previous day, House Speaker Mike Johnson had pledged at a campaign event in Michigan that, should Republicans maintain control of the chamber subsequent to the elections, they would implement an "aggressive agenda."
Jeffries perceived this as a promise to implement "Project 2025," the elaborate right-wing agenda penned by former Trump officials and supporters, which the Democratic leader denounced as a "daunting 922-page document serving as a blueprint for extreme MAGA Republican dominance over the lives and livelihood of the American people."
However, it was Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan's assertion at the very same event that, had Republicans not secured their narrow majority in 2022, "we'd already been living in a fully Marxist country," that drew Jeffries' disdain. In response, he cited bills passed by his caucus to prevent a debt ceiling default, a government shutdown, and preserve Johnson's speakership.
"Jim Jordan ought to be grateful for the pragmatic approach House Democrats have maintained from the onset," Jeffries stated.
Jeffries steers clear of discussing his plans as speaker, but when prompted about persistent policy demands across all the districts he has visited, he only mentioned housing as a common issue, urging that it is no longer a problem exclusive to major cities such as New York City, San Francisco, Boston, or Los Angeles.
During one of his initial leadership meetings after assuming office two years ago, Jeffries shared two historical instances where House Democrats reclaimed the majority just two years after losing it: 1948, when Harry Truman ran against the "do-nothing" Congress, and 1954, after Republicans adopted Joe McCarthy's line of attack, targeting Americans as communists.
Jeffries has sought to emulate this pattern, striving for voters to perceive the past two years in the same light.
A condensed battleground for House elections
The landscape of contestable House races has shrunk like never before, with approximately 25 seats undoubtedly still classified as true toss-ups. The margins governing these races and the destiny of the House could be smaller than ever before: In 2022, when the majority was determined by only five seats, Republicans' combined advantage in the closest races was a mere 6,675 votes.
Everyone who has acquainted themselves with Jeffries is aware of his guarded demeanor and penchant for alliterative, rhythmic soundbites. He even has a 48-page illustrated book, "The ABCs of Democracy," scheduled for release a week after Election Day, based on a speech he delivered in the middle of the night after House Republicans, on their 15th ballot, elected a speaker they ended up discarding nine months later.
Beneath Jeffries' serene façade, he has managed his involvement in candidate recruitment, fundraising, strategy, and ensuring his candidates stay loyal to his "Team Normal vs. Team Extreme" frame of reference to distinguish their platform from the GOP.
He has swiftly transformed, within a few months, from a relatively obscure congressman into one of his party's most prominent fundraisers. House Majority PAC, a prominent super PAC backing House Democratic candidates, and its various affiliated groups that primarily focus on Jeffries, have seen a significant increase in their funds. From accumulating $134 million throughout the entire 2022 election cycle to surpassing that amount, reaching $314 million by the end of September, according to internal reports.
Jeffries achieved this by forging new relationships and expanding his support base. This involves meeting with members of the Black Economic Alliance, an organization that held meetings with him and former President Barack Obama in New York, as well as making several trips to Chicago to win over long-time Pelosi friend and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Furthermore, Jeffries also managed to gain support from Rupert Murdoch's daughter-in-law, Kathryn Murdoch.
Part of Jeffries' success includes being a fresh face, appealing to union leaders, donors, and even semi-involved Democrats. As California Representative Pete Aguilar, a prominent figure in the House Democratic leadership team, stated:
"The biggest applause line I get when I go to districts is, ‘Help us win, because our goal and the unifying force of House Democrats is to make Hakeem Jeffries speaker of the House.’"
While navigating a political landscape brimming with challenges, including taking over for a renowned leader, managing a dysfunctional Congress, and dealing with an intense presidential campaign, has been difficult for Jeffries and his staff. However, the lack of negative advertising against him, as a result of the presidential race consuming attention, has given him more freedom to engage in swing districts across the country, boosting races with his national influence. In contrast, Pelosi typically focused on closed-door fundraisers, which the candidates often avoided.
Although Pelosi relinquished her leadership position nearly two years prior, she has been featured in more Republican attack ads than Jeffries, who has appeared in only one ad, that being in Wisconsin.
January 6 looms over the new Congress
As the new Congress prepares to be sworn in just three days before the certification of the 2024 presidential election results, Jeffries finds himself grappling with this challenge, much like a pit in his stomach.
Jeffries' disapproval of House Republicans is rooted in both policy concerns and concerns regarding self-respect and competence. One of his favorite phrases is "bend the knee" to describe those who give in and cannot stand up for themselves. He sees this behavior displayed by many of his GOP colleagues towards Trump and the far-right members of their caucus.
Queried about dealing with extremist Republicans, Jeffries suggests adopting a calm demeanor as a deliberate choice. He believes that dealing with chaotic and uncontrollable individuals in Washington is an ordinary occurrence, yet they should choose to remain calm to approach problems in a serious, sober, and substantive manner.
The prospect of working with Vice President Kamala Harris, particularly on her housing plan, excites Jeffries. While he is reluctant to admit it, several sources have mentioned that the possibility of collaborating with Trump remains a source of concern for him. According to the Reverend Al Sharpton, who has known Jeffries since his days at a white-shoe law firm and would meet with him at the Brooklyn Marriott to discuss civil rights cases, "the Bedford-Stuyvesant-Crown Heights side of him would come out" in such situations.
Sharpton described Jeffries as one of the most goal-oriented individuals he has encountered in politics, always keeping an eye on how to tackle challenges and overcome obstacles.
In Omaha, Jeffries spent the day with a hip-hop radio station, attending Salem Baptist Church, and discussing his intentions to restore the child tax credit, draft a real housing plan, and pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. A week earlier, in the Antelope Valley outside Los Angeles, Jeffries attended another Black church along with House hopeful George Whitesides, encouraging voters to support Democrats. An older Black woman, who had always voted for Republicans, shared with Whitesides that she planned to switch her vote due to Jeffries' prominent presence in the district.
In Omaha, Democrat candidate Tony Vargas, who hopes to oust Republican Representative Don Bacon, spoke highly of Jefferson's visit and the guidance he received directly from the leader, even though the most specific advice he could recall was "Do the work."
Representative Ryan, who brought Jeffries to his Hudson Valley district in New York, shared similar sentiments. He is confident that Jeffries will become speaker, highlighting the certainty he holds amidst the current political uncertainties.
In private, Jeffries tends to listen more than speak, but in public scenarios like interviews or when others reveal details about him, he deliberately bores audiences. This strategy, as his aides explain, is to spark discussions about him becoming speaker, emphasizing the significance of Democrats being in the majority and the accomplishments they'd achieve – suggesting he wouldn't be the primary beneficiary of the speaker title and future Capitol oil portrait.
Several individuals who have been part of the discussions revealed the intricate strategy at play during a crucial February Long Island special election, serving as a prototype for subsequent events.
Navigating Interstate 87 in December, Tom Suozzi relayed his concerns to Jeffries. Having relinquished his Congressional seat on Long Island, Suozzi endured a bitter primary loss to Gov. Kathy Hochul and watched as Republican George Santos seized his district, eventually unmasked as one of politics' most ingenious liars. All that remained was a questionable beard.
For months, Jeffries maintained contact with Suozzi and encouraged him in his bid to retake his seat. In Washington, Jeffries withheld backing for removing Santos from Congress because he felt that having the Republicans produce a bipartisan report detailing the congressman's dishonesties would make the expulsion process smoother.
After the House ultimately expelled Santos, Jeffries facilitated a last-minute meeting at the governor's mansion to prompt Hochul to share her thoughts on Suozzi's campaign strategy. As Suozzi headed to Albany, Jeffries was encouraging him, repeating three key phrases: remorseful, humble, patient.
"RHP," they humorously nicknamed the situation, akin to right-hand pitcher Tom Seaver, whom they both admired from their childhood Mets days.
"You're now Tom Terrific," Jeffries remarked.
Suozzi acknowledged he could assume two of the three attributes, but not remorseful.
Upon concluding the meeting, Hochul felt her comments had been deferred to, while Suozzi felt he had maintained his ground.
The race for the special election intensified, with local Jewish leaders and black clergy in the district rallying behind Suozzi despite his opponent's veteran Israel Defense Forces background. National Democrats tolerated his constant criticism of their inaction on immigration while generously donating funds.
Few recognized Jeffries' role in these developments. "This is the method to win the seat, the key to becoming the majority," he straightforwardly stated, influencing various interest groups to independently support Suozzi.
When Suozzi eventually emerged victorious, he sought advice from two individuals regarding his inaugural floor speech: Jeffries and Bill Clinton. Jeffries suggested minor alterations, such as how Suozzi addressed Speaker Johnson in his remarks: "You mentioned something I must politely contest. You said, 'Tom Suozzi campaigned like a Republican,'" Suozzi stated on the floor.
The use of "politely" was a Jeffries contribution, believing it would be more impactful and engaging.
During the past week, as Jeffries campaigned for other candidates, he engaged in a text chain with Suozzi and a few other New York representatives regarding the House seats on Long Island, including the additional districts Democrats hope to claim.
"Your campaign paved the way for Long Island and national developments," Jeffries wrote, according to a source informed about the exchanges.
The enthusiastic endorsements continued on both sides, as they often do in discussions with Jeffries.
"Our campaign laid the groundwork. The best is yet to come, Mr. Speaker," Suozzi replied.
In this political landscape, Jeffries is concerned about the potential impact of Donald Trump's policies if the Republican Party maintains control of the House. Despite sharing a different political ideology, Jeffries and Trump once had a professional relationship, having served together in Congress.
As the new speaker of the House, Jeffries is expected to collaborate with Kamala Harris on one of her key initiatives: the housing plan. Although he is cautious about dealing with extreme Republicans, Jeffries believes in maintaining a calm demeanor to tackle challenges effectively.
