Hakeem Jeffries, the historic first Black leader of the House Democrats, has been quietly building toward this moment for some time. Admired for his competent leadership style and subtle ability to manufacture consensus, he’s also benefited from the tutelage of his predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, who for years has publicly showered him with praise, calling him a future star of the party, and providing key introductions to her donor network around the country. Some, like Adam Schiff, may have been more prodigious fundraisers, but Jeffries was the most popular, and won the prize. Now that he’s running the show, of course, there are already quiet murmurs about his ability to bring in the sort of haul that the House Democrats have become accustomed to, year after year, to take back the majority in ’24.