Did House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries secure the speakership this week? It’s entirely possible. Jeffries helped make healthcare the focus of the government shutdown, and while Speaker Mike Johnson was miraculously able to unite Republicans on a piecemeal healthcare plan, the process has deeply divided his conference. Meanwhile, Jeffries notched another major win in recent days after four Republicans signed on to his long-shot discharge petition to extend the A.C.A. for three years—giving Democrats not just a rhetorical victory but an actual legislative one. Plus, Johnson’s decision to delay the inevitable vote on it until January means healthcare will continue to be front and center. Right now, Jeffries’s standing within the caucus seems nearly on par with when he gave his “ABCs of Democracy” speech after becoming the first Black Democratic leader.