‘It’s on him’: Democrats look to Hakeem Jeffries to plot a path to revival
CNN
Hakeem Jeffries nearly became House speaker. Instead, he’s steering the Democratic Party through an identity crisis and hoping to avoid an ugly intraparty civil war.
Hakeem Jeffries nearly became House speaker. Instead, he’s steering the Democratic Party through an identity crisis and hoping to avoid an ugly intraparty civil war. Even without the gavel, many Democrats across Washington say House Minority Leader Jeffries — a 54-year-old New Yorker with centrist roots and messaging chops — is about to become the de facto voice of the party’s future and the face of resistance to Donald Trump. As expected, he was reelected to lead the House Democratic caucus on Tuesday, and he did not face a challenge. So far, Jeffries has said little about his role in the party’s postelection rebuild. But his allies say he’s aware of the part he’s about to play. And many are making the case directly to him: Multiple Democratic donors have personally urged him to “take the lead” until the party has a new official leader, according to two people familiar with the discussions. “‘You are the guy for the entire country right now,’” Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a longtime ally, recalled recently telling Jeffries. “I don’t think he’s ever tried to reach that kind of position, but it’s on him.” Jeffries is already playing referee in some of the biggest internal spats emerging from the election. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, for instance, is privately sparring over how the party should handle Trump’s promised mass deportations. Progressives are seething over corporate influence in internal meetings. One group of centrists has even privately discussed a contentious term limits proposal aimed at the party’s old-guard committee leaders, according to two people familiar with the conversations. One of Jeffries’ most urgent questions will be how to handle another two years in the minority — this time, in a GOP-run Washington. He and his leadership team are already discussing how to avoid a repeat of 2016, when Democrats “chased Donald Trump every hour” while failing to deliver their own message, according to one leadership aide. There are even some preliminary talks about sending Jeffries and leadership to battleground turf around the county to help diagnose their party’s failings outside of Capitol Hill.
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running Game
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing Game
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic Game
Here’s a timeline of some of the notable pre-trial hearings and decisions in the quadruple murder trial against Bryan Kohberger.
Andrew Cuomo will not drop out of the New York City mayoral race by the Friday deadline to remove himself from the general election ballot, CNN has learned. That leaves in place contingency plans he had established before the Democratic primary to challenge Zohran Mamdani and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in November.
Former US Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, who successfully ran for Congress in 1996 as a crusader for gun control after a mass shooting on a New York commuter train left her husband dead and her son severely wounded, has died. She was 81.
The American Meteor Society has received numerous reports of a fireball over the US Southeast on Thursday afternoon – reports that are logged on its website.
Courtney Leader has been closely following the contentious tax-and-spending debate in Washington – not that she cares much for politics, but because she believes the proposed Medicaid cuts are a matter of life or death for her daughter.
The Trump administration plans to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to a “third country” eventually, meaning not El Salvador, where he is from and was mistakenly sent back to earlier this year.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday that he would run for a third term in 2026, amid speculation over his ambitions for the 2028 presidential race, with the release of a campaign launch video featuring sharp criticism of President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration has discussed possibly helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program, sources say.
The timeline to pass President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill by July 4 could slip as Republican lawmakers scramble to retool their bill to meet Senate rules and garner enough support in a deeply divided GOP conference.
The Supreme Court will hand down its final decisions of the term on Friday, including an expected high-profile ruling on whether President Donald Trump may enforce his divisive executive order curtailing birthright citizenship.
Want to know how much Republicans are eager to turn Zohran Mamdani into the face of the Democratic Party? Look no further than two of the biggest names eyeing bids for New York governor next year.
The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked Planned Parenthood from suing South Carolina over the state’s decision to pull the organization’s Medicaid funding because it provides abortions.
CNN’s 5 Things AM brings you the news you need to know every morning.