Biography

Hakeem Sekou Jeffries (born August 4, 1970) is an American politician and attorney who is the U.S. representative for New York's 8th congressional district and, since 2023, has been the House Democratic Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The members of the House Democratic Caucus unanimously elected Jeffries to his leadership role in November 2022. This made him the first African American to lead a party caucus in either chamber of the United States Congress. Jeffries was the Democratic nominee for Speaker of the House in the 118th Congress, with unanimous support from his caucus. Jeffries has represented New York's 8th congressional district for six terms, taking office in 2013 after being elected in 2012. The district is anchored in southern and eastern Brooklyn. Before his election to Congress, Jeffries served three terms in the New York State Assembly, representing the 57th district, and worked as a corporate lawyer. Jeffries chaired the House Democratic Caucus from 2019 to 2023 and, in November 2022, was elected caucus leader unopposed to succeed Nancy Pelosi.