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Hakeem Ironies & Trump Veep Game Theory

News and notes on the fallout from the presidential debate détente, Biden’s big House Democratic headache in New York, and what Mar-a-Lago needs from the Trump veepstakes.

Hakeem Jeffries
At 53 years old, he’s already proven himself to be a competent, charismatic leader—as well as a strong fundraiser, under the tutelage of his former boss, speaker emeritus Nancy Pelosi. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Tara Palmeri
May 17, 2024

This forthcoming election could be a legacy-defining moment for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, whose chances of becoming speaker are increasingly dependent on Democrats retaking the chamber via the  competitive races playing out on his very own turf. The problem, alas, is that Joe Biden, who won New York by 23 points in 2020, is now leading Donald Trump by only 10 points in the state, according to a Siena poll conducted last month. That margin, if the election were held today, would be the worst performance for a Democratic presidential candidate in the state since 1988.