WASHINGTON (AP) — House Leader Hakeem Jeffries won re-election as Democratic leader on Tuesday, drawing support from his colleagues despite the party’s inability to win back majority control of the House in the November elections.

Jeffries and the top Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives – a trio of younger generation leaders along with Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and chairman of the Democratic Caucus Pete Aguilar of California – all won their re-elections in the private vote of the Democrats in the House of Representatives.

“We are prepared to work hard to find common ground with our Republican colleagues and the new administration on any issue, wherever and whenever possible,” said Jeffries of New York, flanked by the Capitol leadership team.

“But at the same time, we will push back on far-right extremism where necessary,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries of New York is about to become Speaker of the House of Representatives highest black elected official in Congress, and the first to hold the position of party leader.

He failed to win the gavel after the Republicans came to power together with the newly elected president Donald Trumpwinning control of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives.

Although the Democratic leader will be the party’s nominee as speaker of the House of Representatives when the new Congress convenes in January, the gavel is expected to go to the president. Mike Johnson while the Republicans will continue to hold the majority in the new year.

Jeffries and the House Democratic leadership team took over as Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi relinquished leadership two years ago, and the other top leaders also made way for the new era.

Democratic leaders campaigned across the country in the run-up to the November elections, Jeffries and the others raising tens of millions of dollars and gathering volunteers to vote for their candidates.

Democrats in the House of Representatives won some seats in hard-fought regions, including Jeffries’ home state of New York and California. But they also lost seats elsewhere and failed to topple some establishment Republicans, and overall that was the case little change in the House.

Jeffries said that despite the Republican Party’s claims of an expanded mandate to govern, their numbers in the House of Representatives are actually tied with Democrats.

“This idea of ​​a mandate to make massive, far-right, extreme policy changes doesn’t exist — it doesn’t exist,” Jeffries said.

The trio of leaders ran unopposed in Tuesday’s closed-door election, also filling other leadership positions, including Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado as assistant Democratic leader, and Rep. Ted Lieu of California as vice chairman of the caucus.

In the other election, members elected as co-chairs of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee were Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois, Rep. Laurie Trahan of Massachusetts and Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida. The chair of DPCC co-chairs went to longtime Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan, who overcame a challenge from rising newcomer Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas.

The Republicans under Johnson retain the majority by a very small margin – their numbers will decrease in the new year Trump has addressed three Republican lawmakersElise StefanikMike Waltz and Matt Gaetz to serve on his board. Some must be too confirmed by the Senate.

These tight numbers in the House of Representatives, with some races still uncalled, give Jeffries and the Democrats enormous leverage to provide the votes needed to ensure bills are passed if Johnson finds himself out of position. is able to govern with its small majority, as has happened in the past two years. years of a chaotic congress.