House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told Democrats on Wednesday they are unlikely to win back the House and took responsibility for the loss, Axios reported.
Jeffries made the comments during a closed-door caucus with Democrats. Until the meeting, Jeffries had repeatedly said Democrats had a realistic chance to take back the house.
"The buck stops with me," Jeffries said, according to Axios. "There is a mathematical 'possibility' we could still take the majority, but not a 'probability.'"
One lawmaker told Axios Jeffries was "responsible" but not apologetic. The lawmaker said everyone shouted 'no' when he said he accepted total responsibility, Axios reported.
House Democrats told Axios they don't expect Jeffries to face any real blowback over Democrats' failure to take back the house, with the party reeling after losing four Senate seats and the White House.
"I have a feeling people would say this would never have happened under Pelosi" a progressive lawmaker told Axios, referencing Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
The lawmaker said Jeffries should've done more to push Biden to drop out earlier.
Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., a member of the Progressive Caucus, told Axios Jeffries "has the complete respect and support of the caucus."
"There are no cracks here, and in fact, most people think it was a heroic effort," Huffman said.
Outgoing Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., criticized leadership for working so much with Republicans.
"We had this situation where we had Democrats in the minority in the House who felt incumbent upon us — we can debate whether or not that was the right thing or not — to fix Republicans' lack of being able to govern and instead of letting it show through that they couldn't govern time after time after time," Jayapal said at a press conference.
Jeffries is expected to run unopposed for reelection when House Democrats hold leadership elections next Tuesday.
Sam Barron ✉
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