House Democrats voted Wednesday to make Rep. Hakeem Jeffries their leader in the next Congress, replacing 82-year-old Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Jeffries won the post in an uncontested election after Pelosi and the two other incumbent members of the Democratic leadership, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, opted to step down. Jeffries, a 52-year-old New Yorker, will be the first African American to serve as House Democratic leader.
“Leadership is incredibly important,” said Jeffries. “When we get an opportunity as diverse leaders to serve in positions of consequence, the most meaningful thing we can do in that space is an incredibly good job.”
House Democrats also elected Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark to serve as Democratic Whip. California Rep. Pete Aguilar was elected to serve as chairman of the House Democratic caucus. Both Clark and Aguilar served in leadership under Pelosi for the past two years.
