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By Joshua Rhett Miller
Senior Reporter
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Hakeem Jeffries appears poised to become the nation's first Black speaker of the House, but some newly elected Democrats aren't convinced just yet.
Jeffries, 56, formally announced his candidacy to fellow lawmakers in a letter Wednesday, a day after Democrats flipped control of both the House and Senate after definitive victories in the 2026 midterm elections.
"Against all odds, House Democrats were consistently successful in the minority," Jeffries wrote. "We must now deliver the dramatic change the American people are demanding in the majority."
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The Democratic leader called upon colleagues to "act decisively" regarding issues of affordability, accountability and American values, including equal protection under the law and the right to vote in a representative democracy.
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"To that end, I look forward to drawing upon the insights and perspectives of every single part of the caucus in the days and weeks ahead," Jeffries' letter continued. "House Democrats must deliver dramatic change."
But several progressive Democrats elected to the House on Tuesday have expressed reservations about the prospect of Jeffries as the next speaker, primarily citing criticism of his public opposition to President Donald Trump and his support of Israel.
Claire Valdez, a Democratic Socialist who will represent New York's 7th Congressional District, said she hasn't decided whether she'll support Jeffries, but believes the party will ultimately unify, the New York Daily News reported Thursday.
Valdez, an ally of New York City Mayor Mamdani, hasn't spoken to Jeffries since Tuesday, but hopes Democrats will focus on affordability moving forward, she said.
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"We need to fight back to take control of our economy and our country," Valdez told the newspaper. "It shows there is a real mandate from the American people."
Valdez, a state assemblywoman who campaigned heavily on affordability and vowed to promote Mamdani's agenda in Washington, also predicted widespread unity among Democrats to improve healthcare and curtail the Trump administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
"We need to present a united voice and fight for real change," Valdez told the newspaper.
Representative-elect Darializa Avila Chevalier, a field staffer for Mamdani's mayoral campaign who won New York's 13th Congressional District, has also stopped short of endorsing Jeffries. She instead recently offered several policies the next speaker must prioritize, including voting rights reforms, public housing investments and to block offensive weapons to Israel.
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"I think this would be a really historic vote, and this would be a very historic moment — not just for myself, as it'll set the tone for the kind of representative I'll be for my district, but also for this country, where we're talking about having the first Black Speaker, right?" Chevalier told Vanity Fair last week.
Chevalier, who confirmed she had recently met with Jeffries, also called for "bringing more power to Congress to take on Trump" when discussing the next possible House speaker.
"Reminding ourselves that Congress has the power of the purse," she told Vanity Fair on October 30. "Trump can't make all these threats around cuts to funding. It's Congress, right, that has the final say on that."
Melat Kiros, a progressive Democrat who will represent Colorado's 1st Congressional District, has offered the clearest opposition to Jeffries replacing Republican Mike Johnson as House speaker, Axios reported in August. She indicated she wouldn't vote for anyone for a leadership position "if they take corporate PAC money," which would include Jeffries, who is among the top recipients of pro-Israel political action committee and individual contributions.
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Democrat William Lawrence, who won Michigan's 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, also told Axios in July that he hoped to "have an alternative" to Jeffries if ultimately elected. The push for another option comes as a petition calling on House Democrats not to support the Brooklyn-born lawmaker eclipsed 675,000 signatures on Thursday.
The petition, which labels Jeffries as part of the “Democratic establishment,” claims lawmakers will likely remain under pressure from the party’s left wing regarding personal and policy choices.
"This is not a foregone conclusion," the petition reads. "There is still time for other Democratic members of the House to step forward and seek the nomination for Speaker, someone whose priorities more closely reflect the voters who hope to elect the Democratic majority."
The creator of the petition, author Nicole Whitted, said her opposition to Jeffries wasn't limited to any single policy disagreement.
"It’s about real leadership that aligns with today’s Democratic voter, real accountability, and whether the party is genuinely listening to the voters demanding change," Whitted told Newsweek on Thursday. "Hakeem Jeffries has longstanding political and financial ties to corporate interests and influential pro-Israel lobbying organizations. He also held a private meeting with Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and outside advisor, who himself is being investigated by the Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. These relationships and decisions raise serious questions for me and many of those who have signed this petition about transparency, political influence, and whose interests Democratic leadership is ultimately serving."
Jeffries, meanwhile, is still considered to be an overwhelming favorite to become the next House speaker at 95 percent as of Thursday, according to Kalshi prediction market data. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark was listed at 2 percent.
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