Hakeem Jeffries isn’t speaker yet, but the Democrat may be the most powerful person in Congress

By LISA MASCARO
AP Congressional Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — Without wielding the gavel or holding a formal job laid out in the Constitution, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries might very well be the most powerful person in Congress right now. The minority leader of the House Democrats, Jeffries and the House Democratic leadership team decided this week they would help Speaker Mike Johnson stay on the job rather than be ousted by far-right Republicans led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. This comes after Jeffries already delivered the Democratic votes needed to fund the government and prevent a federal shutdown, send foreign aid to Ukraine and other allies, as Johnson’s Republicans are beset by infighting and chaos. One Democrat called Jeffries the “shadow speaker” of the House.