Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats have to ‘run through the finish line’

On Wednesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries addressed reporters ahead of his evening speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention to discuss the Democratic Party’s strategy for the November elections, emphasizing its forward-looking vision under Vice President Kamala Harris.

Jeffries, who is one of the main architects of the Democrats’ strategy to take back the House, outlined the Democratic Party’s legislative agenda should they secure the House, Senate and presidency in November, including lowering costs, ending price gouging and expanding the middle class. He added that the party is aiming to make sure everyday Americans can get ahead. “We’re going to continue to embark on articulating the Democratic vision … while at the same point exposing the House Republicans for being adherents to MAGA extremism and continuing to bend the knee to Donald Trump,” he said.

If Democrats take back the House, Jeffries would make history as the nation’s first Black House speaker. Jeffries told reporters that Democrats are prepared to tackle the challenges ahead as they work to regain control of the House and support Harris in her bid for presidency, adding that she is “ready, willing and able” to fight for the country. He said the DNC is a week to “celebrate Joe Biden, elevate Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, and eviscerate MAGA extremism.”

Jeffries said Harris’ leadership has energized the Democratic base and provided a clear contrast to the Republican Party. “There’s one path that the extreme MAGA Republicans led by Donald Trump want to take us down, which is to create division and to turn back the clock,” he said. “Kamala Harris is leading us on a path forward, anchored in hope, joy and unity.”

Praising Harris for her leadership and her role in pushing the toughest bipartisan border policy ever prepared by the U.S. Senate, Jeffries said that despite efforts by former President Donald Trump to “weaponize” immigration issues for political gain, the Democrats remain focused on finding practical solutions. He criticized Trump’s approach, and said Harris will do what is necessary to secure the border in a bipartisan way.

The deal that was killed at Trump’s behest in February would’ve included both foreign assistance for Ukraine and Israel in addition to making it harder for migrants to apply for asylum and increasing the number of family-based and employment-based visas.

When asked about Rep. Tom Suozzi’s contributions to the immigration debate among Democrats, Jeffries lauded Suozzi as a “phenomenal public servant” and leader of the effort to find a bipartisan solution to the border crisis. “Democratic candidates all across the country have been leaning into the Suozzi approach, which is: We have a story to tell because we want to fix the problem and deliver real results for everyday Americans,” Jeffries said. “It’s the extreme MAGA Republicans who continue to play politics and engage in reckless partisan stunts.”

Suozzi, who replaced former Republican Rep. George Santos in the 3rd Congressional District on Long Island, defeated Republican nominee Mazi Melesa Pilip in a February special election. Jeffries added that Suozzi played a critical role in this shift within the party by focusing on two key issues: defending reproductive rights and advocating for a bipartisan solution to the border issue.

When asked about the takeaways from the loss of critical House races in the 2022 election and how they would influence the upcoming election cycle, Jeffries said there was a need for sustained grassroots efforts and effective communication with voters across New York, especially in battleground districts. He added that Democrats must continue to highlight their achievements and contrast them with the Republican agenda. “If we communicate with voters, put forward enlightened candidates who want to solve problems like Tom Suozzi and articulate to states (our) defense of freedom and the extremism being pushed by this version of the Republican Party, we’ll have the high ground.”

Jeffries said that there needs to be a steadfast effort from Democrats to ensure a strong turnout in November, stressing the importance not to become complacent. “We have to continue to work each and every day,” he said. “This is an evenly divided country, it’s going to be a close election and we’ve got to run through the finish line.”