Hakeem Jeffries Elected Chair of House Democratic Caucus

Brooklyn will have a seat at the table when important decisions are made in the new Democratic-controlled House in January.

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat whose congressional district includes parts of Coney Island, Mill Basin, Canarsie, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville, was elected by his fellow Democrats on Wednesday to serve as chairperson of the House Democratic Caucus.

It’s the fourth highest position in the House leadership.

As caucus chairperson, Jeffries will preside over caucus meetings and help the House Speaker and other top House leaders to set the party’s legislative agenda.

Jeffries, an ally of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, defeated U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-California) 123-113 for the coveted post. Lee would have the first African-American woman to become caucus chairperson.

Pelosi is seeking to become the next Speaker of the House.

Jeffries, who campaigned for his post on a platform of increasing diversity in the top ranks of the Democratic Party in Washington, will succeed outgoing U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens).

Crowley was defeated in the Democratic primary in June by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a rising star in the Democratic Party who went on to win the general election earlier this month.

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