New House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, hits Chicago on Sunday in a visit designed to introduce him to and build relationships with top Democratic donors in the city, the last stop in a cross-country swing to bolster fundraising for House Democrats.
This is Jeffries’ first trip to Chicago since House Democrats picked him to replace now-former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who chose not to seek another term as Democratic leader.
Joining Jeffries at a luncheon in River North will be Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., who Jeffries tapped to be the new Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The DCCC is the House Democratic political organization.
Multiple sources told the Sun-Times the event, at a private club, will be small — about three dozen people — with the gathering organized at least in part by DCCC fundraisers. Among those expected to attend are Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., who is close to Jeffries — he stumped for Davis last May across his 7th Congressional District before the June Illinois primary, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.
Punchbowl News first reported that Jefferies and DelBene were “hitting the road” in a “high-profile rollout” of the new House Democratic leadership team.
Stops included Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle with Chicago at the end. Joining them in other cities were other members of the new House Democratic team: Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.
Pelosi visited Chicago fairly often during her decades as leader of the House Democrats, and was well known to all major Democratic donors in the city. None of the new members of the House Democratic leadership have the long-term relationships with top donors in Chicago Pelosi long nurtured.
