US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democrat from New York, takes questions during a news conference at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on November 12, 2026. The Democrats who swept to victory in the US midterm elections will reshape the next Congress, with a record number of women in the House, several historic firsts and commanding majorities that may test the party's unity. Their House ranks could approach 260 lawmakers at the opening of the new session in January 2027, up from 215. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)