The petition demanding that House Democrats choose a Speaker other than Hakeem Jeffries has now passed one million signatures — 1,004,752 verified signatories as of Saturday, and still rising — nearly three times the 380,000 it had reached two days earlier, when actor Mark Ruffalo backed it.
The petition, titled “House Democrats: CHOOSE A NEW SPEAKER,” calls on every member of the incoming Congress to vote against Jeffries for Speaker in January 2027 and choose a different candidate. It argues that the Speaker should represent Democratic voters, not just the Democratic establishment, and asks members to examine Jeffries’s public record and listen to constituents who do not want him elevated. Jeffries formally put himself in the running on Wednesday, with a letter to all members, and he remains the presumptive choice: Democrats will hold at least 254 House seats, no challenger has stepped forward, and a majority that large gives him room to maneuver. Even so, Axios reported on Friday that members of Congress have been “inundated” with calls urging them not to elect him, and nearly half a dozen incoming House Democrats in deeply Republican seats declined to state a firm position on voting for him.
The Speaker sets the House’s whole agenda — which bills are written, debated and voted on for the next two years — so this fight, breaking out days after the election, is the first test of how the new majority will actually be run, and of whether the promises made to voters survive contact with Washington.
Hakeem now didn’t get it, so close, but I doubt he gets it.
— Previously posted on Thursday, November 5, 2026 —
First posted on Instagram · @profilopolitics
Actor Mark Ruffalo has lent his support to an online petition urging House Democrats not to elect Hakeem Jeffries as the next Speaker of the House.
Ruffalo shared the petition on Bluesky, writing: "Sign this petition if you want a new speaker of the house."
The petition, titled "House Democrats: CHOOSE A NEW SPEAKER", was created in September by Nicole Whitted, an author and Democratic-supporting social media creator. It urges every member of the incoming 120th Congress to vote against Jeffries for Speaker in the January 2027 vote and choose a different candidate, and calls for a competitive election for Speaker. It does not endorse an alternative candidate.
The petition had gathered 380,408 signatures when the Instagram post went up on November 5, 2026, and later reports the same day put the total above 425,000. It had stood at almost 20,000 signatures on Wednesday.
The petition describes Jeffries as part of the "Democratic establishment" and argues congressional leadership should reflect Democratic voters' priorities rather than those of the party establishment. It opposes Jeffries because of his support for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and concerns about its influence on American foreign policy.
Jeffries formally announced his candidacy for Speaker on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, in a letter to House Democrats, writing: "I write to humbly request your support in connection with my candidacy to serve as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives." He named three priorities: "Affordability," "Accountability" and "American Values."
Democrats won control of the House in the November 3 midterm elections. The full House will vote for Speaker on January 3, 2027, when the new Congress convenes. If elected, Jeffries, 56, who has represented a New York City district since 2013 and led House Democrats for four years, would become the first Black speaker of the House. House Democrats are due to hold leadership elections on November 18 and 19.
Reporting has noted that Jeffries has received more than $1.7 million in career contributions associated with pro-Israel interests, according to OpenSecrets data cited in recent reporting.
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