Jeffries, Hakeem S.

Hakeem Jeffries represents New York's 8th congressional district, which is anchored in Brooklyn, his native borough. First elected to Congress in 2012, he is currently in his seventh term. Before his congressional career, Jeffries served three terms in the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012. He holds degrees from Binghamton University and Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy, and earned his law degree from New York University Law School in 1997. After law school, he worked as a corporate litigator at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and later for major television companies including Viacom and CBS.

Jeffries has held significant leadership positions within the House Democratic Caucus. He chaired the caucus from 2019 to 2023 before being unanimously elected by caucus members to succeed Nancy Pelosi as House Minority Leader in November 2022. This election made him the first African American to lead a party in either chamber of the United States Congress. His legislative work has included recognizing international milestones, such as commemorating the independence of Cape Verde.