Petition against Jeffries for House speaker passes 1 million signers
The petition, started by Nicole Whitted on Change.org, asks House Democrats to back a different candidate for speaker.
More than 1 million people had signed an online petition by Saturday urging House Democrats to oppose Hakeem Jeffries for speaker of the US House of Representatives, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Nicole Whitted launched the petition on Change.org on Sept. 3, and its count rose from more than 600,000 on Friday to 1,012,125 by Saturday.
It is aimed at every member of the incoming 120th Congress and asks them to reject Jeffries, the current House Democratic leader, and consider another candidate for the post.
The petition argues that Democrats should be offered a real choice, saying "Democrats deserve a choice."
It contends that the speaker should answer to Democratic voters rather than the party establishment, and it asks lawmakers to weigh Jeffries' public record, policy positions, campaign donors and leadership before voting.
The petition also encourages other House Democrats to step forward and seek the nomination.
Separately, Axios reported on Saturday that Democratic House members and members-elect have received hundreds of calls since the midterm elections urging them not to elect Jeffries.
Axios said Jeffries faces persistent skepticism and hesitance from incoming members.
One incoming House Democrat told the outlet they had received about 150 calls, while a senior House Democrat said they had taken over 500 calls in the past two days.
The speaker is chosen by a vote of the full House when a new Congress convenes, and the 120th Congress is scheduled to begin in January 2027.
