House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries says he is optimistic his party will win back control of the House in November, pointing to cost-of-living frustration among voters and a string of competitive New York congressional races as reasons for his confidence. The Brooklyn congressman, who could become the first Black speaker of the House if Democrats flip the chamber, described his current mood as optimistic heading into the final weeks of the midterm campaign.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Jeffries said his travels around the country have convinced him that voters are ready for a change in direction, according to News 12 Brooklyn. “What's clear is that dramatic change is necessary,” Jeffries said, adding, “The American people know that things aren't going well.” The outlet reports the wide-ranging conversation touched on midterm stakes, affordability, the war in Iran, immigration enforcement, government accountability and the future of the Democratic Party, with the full half-hour interview set to air on News 12 and stream on the News 12 YouTube channel Monday at 9 p.m.
Affordability Anxiety Runs Deep Among New York Voters
Jeffries's affordability message lands against a backdrop of real financial strain. Many New Yorkers say the cost of living will be the top issue driving their vote this fall, per CBS News New York. A Pew Research Center poll cited by the station found 60% of Americans say they do not currently have enough income to live the life they want, and 53% say they lack emergency savings to cover three months of expenses. The same report found 70% of U.S. adults have cut back on spending for extras like dining out, streaming and entertainment.
Nationally, prices were 3.7 percent higher in September than a year earlier, and 48 percent of Americans say they are financially worse off since President Trump returned to office — the highest share that measure has recorded since 1986, according to The New York Times. Jeffries made similar arguments in a September 26 CNN interview, where he said Democrats would focus on lowering costs, addressing inflation and expanding access to health care, as reported by TheGrio. That outlet also noted a CNN poll from September 16-17 that found Democrats leading Republicans 49% to 41% among registered voters on the generic congressional ballot.
A Narrow Path Through Dozens of Battleground Seats
Republicans currently hold a narrow 218-214 seat advantage in the House, and the fight for control runs through a wide map. The Cook Political Report lists 43 districts as competitive, including 22 toss-ups, with both parties and allied outside groups committing resources in more than 90 districts and close to half a billion dollars in ad reservations placed before Election Day, per NPR. From 2012 through 2024, Democrats won 34% of their targeted districts while Republicans won 29% of theirs, the same NPR analysis found.
New York's 26 congressional districts are all on the ballot this cycle, with Election Day set for November 3, according to NBC News. City & State New York reports that control of the House could ultimately hinge on roughly two dozen battleground districts nationwide, including several in New York. Jeffries said Democrats are prioritizing protection of incumbents Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen, both Long Island representatives, while also targeting Republican-held seats across the state. City & State notes Suozzi faces a rematch against Republican Mike LiPetri in the 3rd District, Gillen is defending her seat against Republican Jeanine Driscoll in the 4th District, and Republican Rep. Nick LaLota is defending the 1st District against Democratic challenger Chris Gallant.
NY-17 Emerges as a Marquee Test Case
No race drew more attention from Jeffries than New York's 17th Congressional District, where Democrat Cait Conley is challenging Republican Rep. Mike Lawler. Jeffries predicted Conley would win, calling the race incredibly important and saying it will ultimately be decided by people on the ground. City & State describes the Hudson Valley seat as one of the nation's most closely watched midterm races.
Polling backs up the district's competitiveness. A survey from Emerson College Polling and PIX11 News, conducted September 27-29 among 400 likely voters with a credibility interval of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points, found Conley leading Lawler 48% to 46%, with 7% undecided. That same poll found New York's 17th District voters naming the economy their top concern at 31%, followed by threats to democracy at 23%, immigration at 13% and housing affordability at 12% — with concern over threats to democracy rising sharply from 10% in 2024 while immigration concern fell from 20%. The poll also found 52% of district voters disapprove of U.S. military action in Iran, compared with 37% who support it, and found Gov. Kathy Hochul holding a 40% approval rating against 49% disapproval.
Jeffries Links Iran Conflict to Energy Costs, Won't Rule Out Using the Purse
Jeffries argued the war in Iran is driving up energy costs for American families and proposed housing construction incentives, expanded tax credits, and legislative action to end the conflict. He did not rule out using Congress's spending authority to force an end to the fighting, saying Democrats will examine all available legislative options. A House joint resolution on file with Congress.gov states that the president took military action against the government of Iran on February 28, 2026, and later submitted a report to Congress on March 2 pursuant to the War Powers Resolution.
Jeffries also pointed to his own House-floor speech opposing what Republicans called the One Big, Ugly Bill, which he said included historic cuts to Medicaid and the removal of nutritional assistance for young people, older Americans and veterans to fund tax breaks for billionaire donors. He spoke for eight hours and 44 minutes, saying the marathon address was necessary to oppose a bill passed in the dead of night and that Republicans were trying to hide things from the American people.
Accountability, Immigration and a Promise for Day One
If Democrats win back the House, Jeffries promised they would begin holding officials accountable starting on day one, describing what he called the Trump cartel as responsible for unprecedented corruption. He said Congress must act as an independent, co-equal branch that checks the executive branch, and he expressed confidence that Democrats on the Judiciary and Oversight committees — led by Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia, respectively — will prioritize transparency. “It's my expectation that the Democrats on these two committees are going to do right by the American people,” Jeffries said, adding that committee members should follow facts, apply the law and be guided by the Constitution.
On immigration, Jeffries criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as completely and totally out of control and said House Democrats refuse to fund what he called Donald Trump's mass deportation machine. He called for judicial warrants before agents enter homes, mandatory body cameras, unmasked agents, and independent state and local investigations of enforcement actions. Jeffries also voiced support for NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and her leadership on city safety.
Stock Trading Ban, AI Oversight and a Cornell Case
Jeffries reiterated his support for banning stock trading by members of Congress, senators, cabinet officials, the president, vice president and Supreme Court justices. “I'm a strong supporter of prohibiting stock trading by any member of Congress, any member of the Senate, any member of the cabinet, the president, the vice president, as well as the Supreme Court,” he said. He also called for bipartisan safeguards on artificial intelligence, saying, “We can't be the case that we allow the industry alone to police itself.”
He called allegations in a high-profile Cornell University sexual assault case deeply troubling and said the House Education and Labor Committee should consider whether federal campus-safety standards are needed. On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Jeffries said he supports a two-state solution and argued lasting peace requires dismantling Hamas, increasing aid to Gaza and curbing settler violence in the West Bank. He also backed Gov. Hochul's data center moratorium.
Party Unity and an Eye Toward the Future
Reflecting on Shirley Chisholm's legacy during a visit to Shirley Chisholm State Park in Brooklyn, Jeffries said he has drawn lessons in party management from former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and emphasized that House Democrats need to stay aligned despite holding diverse perspectives. “Our diversity is our strength, but our unity is our power,” he said. He praised Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pat Ryan as strong next-generation leaders with bright futures, though he declined to name potential 2028 presidential contenders and would not rule in or out a third impeachment inquiry, saying future oversight decisions will be driven by House committees.
