*A petition urging Democrats to make Rep. Ayanna Pressley the next Speaker of the House has surpassed 92,000 signatures at the time of this report.
The Hill reports that Pressley has shown no interest in challenging House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries is in line to become the country’s first Black Speaker when the 120th Congress begins in January.
Pressley has represented Massachusetts’s 7th Congressional District since 2019. She was the first Black woman elected to the Boston City Council and the first woman elected to Congress from the state. She is a member of the progressive House lawmakers known as “The Squad.”
The Coalition for Speaker Ayanna Pressley launched the Change.org petition on Nov. 6. The group describes itself as “progressive activists from across the country.”
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In its statement, the coalition said Pressley “represents a beacon of hope and integrity in a tumultuous political landscape.”
The group added, “Her ability to foster meaningful conversations and build bridges across the political aisle makes her uniquely qualified for this pivotal role.”
The petition arrives as many progressive Democrats question party leadership following last week’s midterm victories. A separate Change.org drive calling for a different Speaker has attracted more than 1.1 million signatures, according to Atlanta Black Star.
Similar tensions are playing out in the Senate, where Minority Leader Chuck Schumer faces resistance. Sen. Bernie Sanders and some Senate Democrats have said they will not support Schumer for majority leader, according to The Hill.
Pressley, meanwhile, has urged her party to deliver for voters. In a post on X Tuesday, she called on colleagues to be “the FIGHTERS in the room.”
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