Democrat Hakeem Jeffries steps up as House Republicans roast Johnson

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As the Democratic minority leader in a Republican-controlled House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries' influence is normally limited. This week, he may be the most powerful person in Congress.

That is because the chamber's embattled speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, is expected to need the support of Jeffries' opposition Democrats to fend off an effort by hardline members of his own party to topple their second party leader in just eight months.

A small band of hardline Republicans made history in October when they ousted their speaker from the role for the first time ever, setting off a messy weeks-long leadership fight that brought the chamber to a halt. Now firebrand Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wants to try the same move on Johnson.

"House Republicans are either unwilling or unable to get Marjorie Taylor Greene and extreme MAGA Republicans under control and so it's going to take a bipartisan coalition and partnership," Jeffries, 53, told reporters last week. He confirmed that members of his own party would vote to support Johnson -- a highly unusual move -- to prevent a replay of last year's chaos.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/democrat-hakeem-jeffries-steps-house-100333106.html