Jeffries’s departure from Schumer and Pelosi on shutdown approach thrusts him into spotlight

Published



House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is eyeing the drama around the government shutdown as a chance to amplify his name in national politics.

Jeffries, the least powerful of the four Congressional leaders, suffers from a lack of visibility — a recent Pew poll found that 45% of voters don’t know who he is, compared to just 3% who didn’t know his predecessor when she stepped down. He appears to be consciously positioning himself to counter this issue, adopting a more aggressive approach to force confrontations with President Donald Trump, thereby raising his national prestige.

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.