December 4, 2024
As America prepares for the new administration, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could face his first leadership test as Democrats consider breaking protocol with seniority in leadership.
As the new administration prepares to come in, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could face his first leadership test within his own party as the Republican-majority transitions in. Republicans will control both chambers of Congress come 2025 following sweeping election losses.
According to CNN, the test for Jeffries’ leadership is happening as there’s a clash within his party with how Democrats will move forward with countering the former president and his allies. Democrats are growing frustrated and losing their patience as a question mark looms over the party’s future and its messaging. The party is already looking to turn over a new leaf after Novemeber’s defeat, and in doing so, it means some members are considering doing away with the long-standing Democratic principle of seniority in leadership.
In one example, Rep. Jamie Raskin is challenging Rep. Jerry Nadler, who has held the top Democratic spot for the House Judiciary Committee. Raskin, who is 16 years’ Nadler’s junior, is the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Raskin is now vying for the top position on the Judiciary Committee because he reportedly considers it as “the headquarters of Congressional opposition to authoritarianism.”
Bigger Than Breaking Protocol With Tradition But Also Age
It’s not just Raskin and as CNN points on, it’s also about age.
60-year-old Rep. Jared Huffman announced he would challenge 76-year-old Rep. Raul Grijalv for the party’s top spot on the Natural Resources committee. Grijalva, who is battling cancer, later announced he wouldn’t run. According to CNN, a least two other Democrats are considering to replace Rep. David Scott, who is 79, and has the top spot at the House Agriculture Committee.
As Raskin considers a spot on the Judiciary Committee, that leaves a vacancy on the Oversight committee. While sources tell CNN that Reps. Stephen Lynch and Gerry Connolly will try to run for the top spot again, there are some reports that younger members like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will defy the seniority standard and run for a spot as well.
What remains a question is how House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is described as a “reserved” and “selective” leader, will weigh in. During President-elect Donald Trump’s impeachment investigation, Jeffries reportedly deferred to committee Democrats and only got involved when needed.
RELATED CONTENT: Speculation Begins Around Allies Who Will Join Second Trump Administration
