Jeffries won’t say whether he has votes locked up for speaker: ‘I guess we’ll find out’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) did not confirm whether he has the votes locked up to become the lower chamber’s next speaker, as a handful of new progressive members potentially try to extract concessions from Jeffries in exchange for support.“We have a vote next Wednesday,” Jeffries told reporters Monday afternoon. “I’m going to work hard to talk to every single member about what we’ve been able to do together over the last two years, and what the opportunities are for us to do together in the next two years to deliver upon the dramatic change that the American people so decisively voted for this past Tuesday.”“I guess we’ll find out,” Jeffries responded when a reporter said he sounded like he did not have the necessary 218 votes. He did, however, appear assured he will be the next speaker.“We’re very confident we’ll get there,” Jeffries later said.The new group of progressives in the House, many of whom are aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, have not ruled out forcing a recorded vote during the caucus’ internal speaker race, a tradition normally conducted by secret ballot.“We’re not withholding votes,” Rep.-elect Adam Hamawy (D-NJ) said to Punchbowl News earlier Monday. “What we’re doing is saying we’re undecided. I mean, we’re not going to rubber stamp anything. We want to sit and have a conversation about the issues and what’s the plan going forward.”Even if a handful of socialist-aligned legislators were to oppose Jeffries, he is unlikely to have any resistance to becoming speaker of the House. So far, no other candidates have been floated, and a majority of more than 250 Democrats gives Jeffries significant breathing room.HAKEEM JEFFRIES FORMALLY ANNOUNCES BID FOR HOUSE SPEAKER Jeffries, who is expected to be the first black speaker in congressional history, announced his bid for the role last week following the Democratic Party’s massive victory across the country.“Hakeem Jeffries is the right person in this moment, and he is the right leader, and we are going to be so very proud in just a few weeks when we get to say ‘Hakeem Jeffries is the speaker of the House,’” House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) said late election night.