All week, Brooklyn Congressman Hakeem Jeffries got an earful from his Democratic colleagues on Capitol Hill.
Currently in his second year as the top House Democrat, Jeffries is navigating a critical moment for his party — one that could help determine if he becomes House Speaker next year.
After President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance two weeks ago, anxious Democrats fear he will get trounced in November, not only losing the White House but also costing the party any chance of winning the House majority. A growing number of lawmakers are publicly calling on Biden to step aside, while more voice concerns privately.
Jeffries is “listening to everyone,” Rep. Nydia Velazquez said. “He is providing an opportunity for those who come from marginal districts as well as people like myself that come from a blue district.”
Then on Thursday evening, after days of listening, Jeffries met with the president, relaying what he heard.
In a memo to his fellow Democrats after the meeting, Jeffries said he “directly expressed” to Biden the “full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward that the Caucus has shared in our recent time together.”
Jeffries’ and Biden’s fates are possibly intertwined. If Biden’s performance in November costs Democrats the chance of winning the House, Jeffries’ goal of becoming House Speaker would be a casualty.
Jeffries continues to express confidence Democrats will flip the House, and he insists Biden is not a liability for his most vulnerable members.
However, some of those members, including Hudson Valley Rep. Pat Ryan, have already come out calling for Biden to go.
Asked if it would be helpful if Jeffries were to echo his concerns publicly, Ryan told Spectrum News, “I think everybody is accountable to their constituents, to the Constitution, and they have to make what they think is the right decision for their constituents.”
Throughout the past week, Jeffries voiced support for the president.
But what if Jeffries opts to not publicly call on Biden to drop his re-election bid, like some colleagues have, and Biden loses, and Democrats ultimately fail to win back the House? How should his colleagues evaluate his political judgment and leadership?
Asked this on Thursday, Jeffries said, “At the end of any election cycle, people are going to evaluate what the performance of House Democratic leaders has been in achieving the objective.”
He invoked criteria like candidate recruitment, fundraising, and the party’s record on special elections, including the one earlier this year in New York’s 3rd district in Nassau County where Democrats flipped the seat.
“The record will speak for itself. I'm not going to characterize it at this moment,” he continued.
It is not just Jeffries’ fate that could be tied to Biden. His fellow Brooklynite, Chuck Schumer, would lose his title of Senate Majority Leader if Democrats cannot keep control of the U.S. Senate this fall.
Democrats are facing tough battles in a handful of competitive Senate races, though some polling has shown Democrats in those contests outperforming Biden.
So far, Schumer is publicly saying he is "with Joe," though Axios reported earlier this week that Schumer has signalled privately on calls with donors an openness to dropping Biden from the ticket.
Casey Burgat, who leads the legislative affairs program at The George Washington University, said Jeffries' and Schumer's legacies are ultimately tied to the legacy of who wins in November.
"That's why they're so focused on trying to give their best chance at winning not only the White House, but those down ballot races," he said. "Their leadership depends on it."