Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats will connect with GOP next Congress, but won’t fold vs. Trump

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries laid out Democrats’ plans in the upcoming session of Congress, pledging to work with Republicans but not give in to President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda. 

The New York congressman acknowledged that Democrats fell short across the board on election night last week, but noted that House Republicans will again be working with a tight majority. Eight races were still uncalled as of Friday, according to The Associated Press’ election tracker. 

Mr. Jeffries said his fellow Democrats will work to find common ground “whenever and wherever possible” with the Trump administration but will push back against “far-right extremism.” 

“We will continue to exercise common sense,” Mr. Jeffries said in his weekly news conference Friday. “We will always try to find common ground, but we will also vigorously defend the common good.”

He estimated that House Democrats will control at least 214 seats in the 119th Congress, an improvement of two from the current session. With that margin, Democrats could again have a big impact on legislation.

The main lesson to be gleaned from Democrats’ losses on Election Day, he said, was that voters wanted lawmakers to focus more on issues that would make their lives better, in particular focusing on reducing the cost of living. 

Mr. Jeffries argued that Democrats have to do a better job at making it clear that “we are focused on making the lives of hardworking American taxpayers better.” 

If Republicans believe they have a mandate from voters to alter the current trajectory of the country under a Democratic-led White House and Senate, he said, they will have to address the needs that drove voters to the ballot box.

“If you believe that that’s an overwhelming mandate, then of course, the American people will expect that you will do the basics in terms of governing, that you will be able to avoid a catastrophic default on our nation’s debt, that you can fund the government, that you can meet the needs of the American people,” he said. 

He also took a shot at Mr. Trump’s nominations to his Cabinet after being peppered with questions about former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s nod to lead the Justice Department. 

“Are these the best individuals available to the incoming Trump administration?” Mr. Jeffries asked.  “Is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., by way of example, the best that America has to offer? Will he and others give us the best opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the American people?”