1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

As your constituent in Hell’s Kitchen, I am asking you to vote against Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker in the House Democratic Caucus leadership elections on November 18, and to support new leadership when the full House votes in January. Voters just gave Democrats one of the largest House majorities in decades. That is a demand for change, not an endorsement of the status quo. Leader Jeffries has said himself that House Democrats need to deliver dramatic change. I do not believe the leadership that steered the caucus through the past several years is the leadership that will deliver it. Leader Jeffries represents the party’s old guard: a cautious, consensus first approach that favors incremental steps over hard fights. With a majority this size, there is no reason to govern defensively. Democrats can afford to be bold, and voters expect it. The party also needs to build its next generation of leaders now, not years from now. Putting new voices at the top of the caucus would show voters, especially younger voters, that Democrats heard them and are willing to change how they operate. Please vote for new leadership in the caucus election and on the floor, and let me know where you stand.