Hakeem Jeffries | |
---|---|
House Minority Leader | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Whip | Katherine Clark |
Preceded by | Kevin McCarthy |
Leader of the House Democratic Caucus | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Deputy | Katherine Clark |
Preceded by | Nancy Pelosi |
Chair of the House Democratic Caucus | |
In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023 | |
Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
Preceded by | Joe Crowley |
Succeeded by | Pete Aguilar |
Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee | |
In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 Serving with Cheri Bustos and David Cicilline | |
Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
Preceded by | Steve Israel (Chair) |
Succeeded by | Matt Cartwright Debbie Dingell Ted Lieu |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 8th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2013 | |
Preceded by | Edolphus Towns (Redistricting) |
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 57th district | |
In office January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2012 | |
Preceded by | Roger Green |
Succeeded by | Walter Mosley |
Personal details | |
Born | Hakeem Sekou Jeffries August 4, 1970 New York City, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Kennisandra Arciniegas
(m. 1997) |
Children | 2 |
Relatives | Hasan Kwame Jeffries (brother) Leonard Jeffries (uncle) |
Education | |
Website | House website Party website Campaign website |
Hakeem Sekou Jeffries (/ˌhɑːˈkiːm/ hah-KEEM; born August 4, 1970[2]) is an American politician and attorney who has served as House Minority Leader and Leader of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023. He has been the U.S. representative for New York's 8th congressional district since 2013 and was a member of the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.
Jeffries was born and raised in Crown Heights, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. He attended law school at New York University, graduating with honors and becoming a successful corporate lawyer before running for elected office. Both his state assembly district and congressional district are anchored in Brooklyn.
In Congress, Jeffries chaired the House Democratic Caucus from 2019 to 2023. The members of the caucus unanimously elected him to succeed Nancy Pelosi as leader in November 2022. This made him the first African American to lead a party in either chamber of the United States Congress.