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11h ago

Axios Survey Finds Dozens of Democratic House Candidates Withholding Support for Hakeem Jeffries

An Axios survey of 113 Democratic House hopefuls shows a sizable bloc refusing to back Hakeem Jeffries, signaling erosion of his once-unanimous backing.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks to reporters at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 14. Photo: Anna Rose Layden/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Overview

  • Of 113 Democratic candidates surveyed, 20 said they would not vote for Jeffries as leader, five more said they likely would not, 57 declined to commit, 24 said they would back him and seven said they likely would.
  • The reluctance includes some competitive primary contenders, with Illinois candidates Daniel Biss and Kat Abughazaleh among those who would not commit.
  • Several insurgent hopefuls raising substantial funds, including Luke Bronin, Donavan McKinney, Mai Vang, Saikat Chakrabarti and Patrick Roath, also withheld support.
  • Holdouts cited dissatisfaction with Jeffries’ approach and ideology, with some saying Democrats should fight harder against President Donald Trump and Republicans, echoing quotes from candidates such as Heath Howard and Harry Jarin.
  • Jeffries’ office countered that his priorities include battling Trump, ending the Republican-led shutdown and addressing what it calls a GOP-driven health care crisis.