House Democrats just made an important investment in their future, electing Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York as Democratic caucus chairman. The vote was close, 123-113.

Jeffries is relatively young at 48 and already successful as one of the main backers of the prison reform bill that easily passed the House earlier this year. Many see the New Yorker as a someday successor to presumptive Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.