The key facts

  • Democrats are projected to win control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections
  • Hakeem Jeffries pledged to lower prices for housing, groceries and gasoline and to reverse Medicaid cuts
  • Jeffries could become the first Black speaker of the House of Representatives

Democrats projected to win the House of Representatives

According to preliminary projections from the midterm elections, the Democratic Party has gained control of the House of Representatives of the US Congress. This was reported by the Anadolu agency based on the voting held on Tuesday. The publication did not provide official results — the figures are projections based on vote counting.

Jeffries' promises: prices, Medicaid, accountability

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke to supporters on Tuesday evening at the caucus's campaign headquarters in Washington. He said the party would 'work hard to bring down the high cost of housing, groceries and gasoline,' and would also seek to ensure that 'every American can afford to go to the doctor when they need to.' Separately, he promised to 'repeal these painful Medicaid cuts' — referring to cuts to the health care program for low-income Americans, which he had earlier described in the same speech as already having taken effect.

'An election of change' and a possible historic speaker

Jeffries called the vote 'an election of change' and said that 'everything is broken' and that 'dramatic change' is needed. He also promised to 'bring accountability to those who brought unprecedented corruption into this country,' and said that 'the wealthy, the well-off and the powerful tried to buy this election,' but the American people responded that 'America is not for sale.' According to Anadolu, Jeffries is set to become the first Black speaker of the House of Representatives in US history. The practical significance of the result is that control of the lower chamber gives Democrats the right to nominate the speaker and set the agenda of its sessions, including the investigations to which Jeffries alluded with his words about 'accountability.' Final election results and the composition of the new House will be known once the vote counting is complete.