Hakeem Jeffries' A-Z House Speech During Speaker Handover to Kevin McCarthy Goes Viral

Following a historic four-day gridlock, Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected House Speaker on the 15th ballot with 216 votes, defeating Democrat Hakeem Jeffries who received 212 votes. During his concession speech, Jeffries delivered a viral alphabetical address contrasting Democratic and Republican values from A to Z, which garnered millions of views on social media. While McCarthy thanked Donald Trump for his support, experts predict a challenging speakership ahead due to a slim and fractured Republican majority.

Claims

• ▪Hakeem Jeffries offered partnership to Kevin McCarthy to find common ground but stated that House Democrats will never compromise their core principles
• ▪Kevin McCarthy was elected House Speaker on the 15th ballot after four days of congressional gridlock
• ▪Hakeem Jeffries delivered a concession speech listing Democratic principles alphabetically from A to Z, contrasting values like American values over autocracy
• ▪A video clip of Hakeem Jeffries' speech posted by journalist Philip Lewis was viewed more than 500,000 times on Twitter
• ▪Kevin McCarthy received 216 votes from Republicans, while Hakeem Jeffries received 212 votes from Democrats, and six Republicans voted "present."
• ▪Kevin McCarthy was blocked by approximately 20 right-wing Republicans, making the January 2023 vote the longest House Speaker election since 1859
• ▪George Washington University Professor Sarah Binder predicted Kevin McCarthy will face a difficult speakership due to a slim, fractured Republican majority
• ▪Kevin McCarthy praised former President Donald Trump for his influence and consistent support during the House Speaker election
• ▪A video clip of Hakeem Jeffries' alphabetical speech shared by Twitter user 'BrooklynDad_Defiant' received more than 1.7 million views