Hakeem Jeffries was elected the Democratic leader of the US House of Representatives on Wednesday, a position he will hold from January, thus becoming the first black American to hold such a high position in Congress, Reuters reported, according to News.ro. .

The unanimous vote by Jeffries’ Democratic colleagues also signals the rise of a younger generation of leaders among the 435-member House and the end of an era for current Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In 2007, she became the first woman elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Hakeem Jeffries, a 52-year-old resident of New York, will take the position of leader of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives of the 118th US Congress, which will convene on January 3.

After the midterm presidential elections held on November 8, the Democrats lost the majority they currently have in the House of Representatives of the future parliament, but kept it in the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Hakeem Jeffries’ inauguration as the leader of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives is a turning point in the history of the United States.

Both Democratic congressional leaders hail from the Brooklyn borough of New York.

“When you’re from Brooklyn, you quickly learn qualities like persistence and seriousness… You learn to work with different people. You will learn to defend your position. You learn not to take things personally,” Schumer said. before the Senate vote, adding that Jeffries “is the embodiment of all of these traits.”

When he formally announced his candidacy on Nov. 18, after 10 years in the House, Jeffries promised to lead a caucus that would restore authority to committee members and give junior representatives more of a say in legislation, also giving them high-level appointments. functions.

Democrats lost their majority in the House of Representatives, but the difference with Republicans is only a few votes.

Republicans and their leader, Kevin McCarthy, who will become the next speaker of the House of Representatives, have announced to Democrats that they will open an investigation into some administration officials and even President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. They also say they want significant spending cuts after years of both parties paying little attention to the growing budget deficit and the national debt, which now exceeds $31.3 trillion. New initiatives to strengthen border security are also among the top priorities on the Republican agenda, which Democrats will have to contend with.

Eighty-year-olds take a step back

Currently, the three top Democratic leadership positions in the House of Representatives are held by octogenarians who have held office for two decades: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 82, Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, 83, and his deputy, James Clyburn, 82.

Over the years, they have been under pressure to give way to the younger generation.

The moment came after Republicans won a majority in the House of Representatives, but without the “red wave” (the Republican color) of the sweeping victories they had hoped for – a reversal that emboldened Democrats.

The candidates on Jeffries’ team include Congresswoman Catherine Clark, 59, who is running for deputy leader, and Pete Aguilar, 43, who was tapped to fill Jeffries’ current position as leader of the Democratic caucus.

The three, who represent districts in New York, Massachusetts and California, respectively, bring their strengths to different segments of the Democratic Party.

Clark has strong ties to House progressives, a group whose influence is growing, while Aguilar is seen as a bridge to more moderate Democrats and is a member of the Latino Caucus.

Jeffries, for his part, is a member of the Black Caucus.

This leadership team will have the opportunity to learn leadership skills while in the minority, without the pressures that come with majority status.

Journalists asked Pelosi if she was ready to advise this team, she answered in the affirmative.

“Together, this new generation of leaders reflects the vitality and diversity of our great nation — and will invigorate our caucus with their energy, ideas and fresh perspectives,” Pelosi said in a statement welcoming the new Democratic leaders.

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Hakeem Jeffries has nominated himself to be the leader of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives