WASHINGTON — House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has been reelected to his position, successfully securing the backing of his fellow party members despite their struggle to regain the majority in the House following the recent November elections.

Jeffries, who represents New York, was elected during an internal voting session among the House Democrats at the Capitol. It is anticipated that most members of the current Democratic leadership will also continue in their roles for the upcoming Congress.

As he prepares to potentially assume the role of House speaker, Jeffries holds the distinction of being the highest-ranking Black elected official in Congress, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first to serve as a party leader.

Despite these achievements, Jeffries was unable to secure the speakership following the Republican Party’s sweeping success, which coincided with the rise of President-elect Donald Trump, resulting in Republican control over the White House, Senate, and House.

While Jeffries is set to be the Democratic nominee for House speaker, it is anticipated that the position will go to Speaker Mike Johnson as the GOP continues to maintain its majority into the new year.

The House Democratic leadership is characterized by a collaborative team of younger leaders, which stepped into their roles when former Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped back two years ago. Alongside Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark from Massachusetts and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar of California are also expected to retain their leadership positions following Tuesday’s voting.

Although House Democrats were able to secure a few additional seats in competitive regions, particularly in New York and California, they also experienced losses in other areas and were unable to unseat several Republican incumbents. Overall, there was minimal change in the composition of the House.

Under the leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson, the Republicans will enter the new year with a razor-thin majority, which is expected to shrink further, as former President Trump has selected three GOP members, Elise Stefanik, Mike Waltz, and Matt Gaetz, for roles in his forthcoming administration. Some of these selections will require Senate confirmation.