Kiros Withholds Support for Jeffries Speaker Bid
Colorado Democrat Melat Kiros says her vote for Hakeem Jeffries as House Speaker remains undecided after recent elections.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Elections
Rep.-elect Melat Kiros, a Democrat from Colorado, declined to commit to backing Hakeem Jeffries's bid for Speaker during a CrookedCon panel in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. Jeffries had formally launched his bid earlier in the week for the 120th Congress.
Why it matters
The Speaker vote will determine House leadership, and Jeffries would be the first Black Speaker in U.S. history. Kiros's conditions, including a demand that members get votes on key priorities, reflect pressure from within the Democratic caucus.
Kiros said her vote is still up in the air and that her demand is that Jeffries let members vote on her priorities: Medicare for all, a data center moratorium, an end to military sales to Israel, and an end to the war in Iran. No vote count for the Speaker race has been reported.
The players
Hakeem Jeffries
Democratic leader in the House of Representatives who formally launched his bid to become Speaker in the 120th Congress and would be the first Black Speaker in U.S. history.
Melat Kiros
Democratic Representative-elect from Colorado who is withholding a commitment to vote for Jeffries as Speaker.
The details
At CrookedCon, Kiros said Tuesday's elections showed populist politics won and that there is a mandate of the people for a bold agenda. She said electing the first Black Speaker has to mean something for American workers and the Black community. Jeffries has held ongoing conversations with Democratic candidates who have withheld support.
Timeline
Earlier in the week of November 7, 2026: Jeffries formally launched his bid for Speaker in the 120th Congress.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: Kiros declined to commit to Jeffries at the CrookedCon panel.
Tuesday: Elections were held, which Kiros says showed populist politics won.
Political Context
Kiros's conditions amount to a demand that the House floor vote on specific progressive priorities before she commits to Jeffries. This reflects the internal pressure faced by any Speaker candidate who needs near-unanimous support from a narrow majority.
The outcome of the Speaker vote determines which party and which leader controls House procedure, committee assignments, and the floor schedule for the 120th Congress. Voters who follow House priorities such as health care and data center policy can track whether those issues receive floor votes.
The takeaway
The Speaker race is still open, and the conditions members attach to their votes will shape what House leadership is willing to bring to the floor. Watch for formal vote counts once the new Congress convenes.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Elections in the politics section.
