Hakeem Jeffries announces bid for House Speaker after Democratic midterm wins

Democratic lawmaker Hakeem Jeffries announced his candidacy for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives following the Democratic victory in the midterm elections, potentially becoming the first African American to hold the position. Jeffries, the clear frontrunner, received public backing from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In a letter to colleagues, he emphasized the need for "significant change" and outlined priorities including reducing living costs, eliminating Trump-era tariffs, and reversing Republican cuts to Medicaid and Obamacare. The midterms delivered a major blow to Republicans as Democrats secured control of both congressional chambers with historic gubernatorial wins in states like Texas, Ohio, and Georgia. Jeffries previously served on the team that argued the first impeachment case against Trump in 2020.