By Scott Wong and Sahil Kapur -
NBC News
Black Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, currently fourth in the Democratic line of power in the House of Representatives, said Friday that he will run to replace the now Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, as the party's parliamentary leader when the Republicans regain control in January thanks to to his electoral victory.
The announcement by Jeffries (representative of New York) through a letter to his colleagues came a day after Pelosi announced her retirement (although she will continue as representative for California) after two decades at the head of the Democratic caucus in the House of Representatives.
If Jeffries succeeds, it would represent a historic passing of the torch: Pelosi went down in history as the first woman to preside over the House, and Jeffries
would become the first black leader of a congressional caucus and the highest-ranking black legislator. at the Capitol.
Jeffries on November 15 in Washington, DC.
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
If the Democrats were to take control of the House again - a real possibility, since the Republicans have a very narrow majority - Jeffries would be in line with being the first black speaker of the House in the history of the country.
The promotion of Jeffries, 52, to minority leader would also represent a generational shift.
Pelosi and his two top aides -- Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Leader Jim Clyburn -- are in their 80s.
Hoyer will not seek another leadership position while Clyburn plans to stay and work with the next generation.
This man recorded the assault on Pelosi's office.
He is now on trial for six criminal charges.
Nov 17, 202200:27
Representatives Katherine Clark, D-Massachusetts, and Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., are seeking to round out the new leadership team and announced Friday that they will be running for the second and third-in-command positions.
Clark, 59, announced his candidacy to lead the Democrats in the House of Representatives, while Aguilar, 43, is running for the Democratic caucus chair.
Pelosi endorsed all three in taking over for her leadership team in a statement Friday that they are
"ready and willing to take on this awesome responsibility."
Clyburn has also endorsed all three, while Hoyer endorsed Jeffries as the lead on Thursday.
['Impeachment', investigations and border security: the plans of the Republicans in the House of Representatives]
Clyburn, a leading figure in the Caucus and a close ally of President Joe Biden, called his protégé Jeffries "absolutely fantastic" and signaled his support for a whole slate of younger leaders to take the reins of the Democratic leadership apparatus: Jeffries, Clark, and Aguilar.
Clyburn said in a letter to colleagues on Friday that he will be running as Deputy Democratic Leader in the next Congress "to work alongside our new generation of Democratic Leaders who I hope will be Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar."
Added Hoyer: "Well,
I think it's always good for a party to have new blood and new
verve, new enthusiasm and new ideas," he added.
Jeffries is the favorite for the position.
The chairman of the Intelligence Committee, the Democrat Adam Schiff, had considered the possibility of contesting the position, but on Wednesday he abandoned his candidacy and, instead, will study the possibility of running for the Senate, according to a source familiar with his plans.
No other applicants have emerged so far.
Republicans pick who will head Congress if they end up with a majority (as expected)
Nov 15, 202200:35
Congressional Black Caucus chairwoman Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, said Thursday she was confident the powerful bloc of more than 50 black lawmakers would line up behind Jeffries.
"I feel very comfortable saying that I think every member of the Congressional Black Caucus would vote for Hakeem Jeffries," Beatty told reporters on Thursday.
[This is how control of the House of Representatives and the Senate remains after the 'midterms']
NBC News projected Wednesday that Republicans will control the House of Representatives for the next two years, but they will be a narrow majority, likely similar to what Democrats have had since 2021.